Doctor fined, censured over delivery of baby

[Xiahou Yuan]

Jul 20, 2011

Doctor fined, censured over delivery of baby

By Judith Tan

A Doctor from Raffles Hospital has been fined and censured for delivering a woman's baby with an instrument not regarded to be within the norms of acceptable medical practice. -- ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN

A DOCTOR from Raffles Hospital has been fined and censured for delivering a woman's baby with an instrument not regarded to be within the norms of acceptable medical practice.

Aside from being charged over using what is called a Hegar dilator to enlarge his patient's cervix to induce labour, Dr Koh Gim Hwee, 49, faced a second charge of failing to inform his patient of the risks in going for a vaginal delivery after she had previously undergone a caesarean section.

He also faced a third charge over his inducing of labour for that delivery without getting his patient's informed consent after being advised of the benefits and risks of doing so.

The Singapore Medical Council (SMC) fined him $10,000 and censured him following proceedings in April and last month.

Dr Koh, who contested all three charges and was acquitted of only the second one, also had to give written undertakings not to use the dilator to induce labour, and to advise his patients of the relevant risks.

He had to pay costs and cover the expenses arising from the disciplinary proceedings.

Read the full story in Thursday's edition of The Strait Times.

 

[Akechi Mitsuhide]

Gynaecologist fined for performing unacceptable procedure
Posted: 20 July 2011 1352 hrs
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SINGAPORE: A gynaecologist at Raffles Hospital has been fined S$10,000 and censured for performing a procedure on his patient which wasn't within the norms of acceptable medical practice.

49-year-old Dr Koh Gim Hwee used what is called Hegar dilators to forcibly induce labour in one of his patients.

The Singapore Medical Council (SMC), said there were at least three other acceptable alternatives to induce labour for a normal birth after a Caeserian section.

The doctor also did not inform the patient of the benefits, risks and possible complications when labour is induced and failed to obtained her informed consent.

But Dr Koh was acquitted of failing to provide his patient with adequate information on the risks involved during the patient's antenatal consultations.

Dr Koh was also ordered to give written undertakings on his future conduct.

- CNA/fa