HOSPITAL RESPONDS TO STORY

Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston strongly denies the allegations made by Mrs. Everlean Brown in a story published on Aug. 25 by the Southeast Missourian that her son, Brad, was pronounced dead at Missouri Delta Medical Center and then transferred at her request to St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. "It is utter nonsense to believe that our institution would declare someone dead and then transfer them to another hospital," insisted Charles Ancell, administrator of MDMC.

"The medical record clearly indicates this was not true and that Brad's care by MDMC was completely appropriate," said Ancell. An ambulance responded immediately to the scene of the incident and began to stabilize Brad Brown, according to Ancell. "He was placed on a cardiac monitor and an airway was established at the scene," Ancell said. "At no time did anyone from MDMC at the scene suggest or feel that Brad was dead. In fact, he had a pulse and he was moving."

According to Ancell, when the ambulance arrived at the emergency room, a team of nurses and two doctors were waiting at the door to care for Brad. "He was taken directly into a room where he was intubated and given medications to control the swelling of his brain caused by the gunshot wound. The emergency room physicians determined that the nature of the injuries required the services of a neurosurgeon."

A call was made to Dr. Kee Park, a neurosurgeon in Cape Girardeau, and he agreed to accept Brad as a patient. "At no time did anyone feel or suggest Brad was dead," added Ancell. Brown was transferred to Dr. Park at St. Francis by ambulance with a paramedic and registered nurse in attendance. Helicopters out of Cape Girardeau could not be utilized because both were in service at time.

Ancell stated that MDMC would like to present further details of Brad's treatment, but Mrs. Brown has refused to release the medical records.

"Brad is alive today because of the actions of our paramedics and emergency room doctors and nurses," Ancell said. He added that the personnel at MDMC were very distressed about publication of the article without an attempt to verify the facts.

"The record is very clear that everything possible within our capabilities was done by MDMC to save Brad's life, and it is unfair for the people involved to be denigrated for their efforts," he said. "I am proud of our role in saving Brad's life, and our people deserved to be complimented."