Paramedic faces trial for mismanaging emergency call

Tengrinews.kz - A paramedic from Kosshi is on trial for mishandling an emergency call, leading to serious harm to a patient, according to the local court.
The Kosshi court examined a case against a dispatcher from the "103" emergency service for inadequate performance of professional duties, which resulted in severe harm to the patient's health due to negligence.
According to court reports, the dispatcher received a call from a patient with arterial hypertension who complained of chest pain. The call was initially classified as high priority but was incorrectly downgraded to low priority by the dispatcher.

"The dispatcher altered the urgency of the call from first to fourth category, misrepresenting the patient's symptoms as 'high fever, illness for over a week, severe cough,' and redirected the case to a local clinic. A clinic paramedic then provided minimal care and instructed the patient to seek further help at an Astana hospital, where a diagnosis of 'ischemic heart disease, myocardial infarction, stent placement, cardiogenic shock, and post-clinical death' was confirmed," the court's information stated.

The court found the paramedic guilty based on expert conclusions, witness testimonies, and regulations prohibiting dispatchers from altering call priorities.

"Considering the nature of the crime, which was committed negligently, the defendant's pregnancy, lack of aggravating circumstances, and her previous clean record, the court sentenced her to 1 year and 6 months of restricted freedom with probation and banned her from providing medical services," the court ruling said.

The court also issued a private order to the Akmolinsk regional health department, highlighting serious violations by emergency medical staff that led to the patient's severe harm.
The verdict was announced in the presence of emergency medical personnel from the regional station and the Kosshi clinic. The judgment has not yet become legally binding.