KEY POINTS:
A South Island District Health Board (DHB) has sent a post-surgery questionnaire to a Westport man who died in Grey Hospital last month.
Eugene (Hughie) O'Keefe, of Carters Beach, was admitted to Grey Hospital on May 2 for surgery to remove two melanomas.
He suffered a stroke on May 6 and died in hospital on May 19.
His widow, Shirley O'Keefe, received a post-surgery questionnaire addressed to him this week.
"As a follow-up to your recent surgery at Greymouth Hospital, we would like to enquire about your progress and ask you to complete the following questionnaire and return in the envelope provided," it said.
Mrs O'Keefe said it was "devastating" to read the letter.
"I cannot understand how this can be allowed to happen. Surely checks should be made on the patient's records before any correspondence is entered into.
"In Hughie's case this does not appear to have happened and I would like to know why."
The health board needed to look at its systems and address any problems, she said.
She believed it should also send her an apology.
WCDHB chief executive Kevin Hague said similar letters went to all patients who were routinely discharged from hospital after surgery.
"Unfortunately a human error resulted in the computer that produces a list of surgery patients generating a list that had Mr O'Keefe's name on it.
"Such mistakes are regrettable and very rare," he said.
The DHB had now changed its systems to pick up any similar situations and avoid repeating the error.
The WCDHB would be contacting Mrs O'Keefe directly to apologise, Mr Hague said.
- NZPA
