Family of Calgary man who died after hospital discharge seeks answers

Phuong Nguyen's family is looking for answers after the 61-year-old was treated for chest pains at a hospital in Brooks, released and then died.

Another death is raising concerns about care in Alberta’s strained health-care system.

A Calgary man working in Brooks on April 18^th went to a local hospital complaining of chest pain. He was treated, prescribed medication and discharged, but less than 30 minutes later, he was dead.

Now his family wants answers.

61-year-old Phuong Nguyen started to feel a pain in his chest early in his shift.

“I got a phone call from his boss saying that he’s having a severe chest pain, and then, his coworker already transport him to the emergency, like Brooks Health Center already,” said Nhi Nguyen, Nguyen’s niece.

Nhi set off for Brooks with her dad from Calgary to make sure her uncle was okay.

Nguyen’s family says he had previous heart conditions and stomach problems.

A doctor in Brooks prescribed Pantoprazole Magnesium — a medicine to treat acid-related stomach problems — and sent him home.

But in the car on the way back to Calgary, Nguyen continued to complain about chest pain.

He took his last breath less than 30 minutes after leaving the hospital.

“All doctors and nurses would have listened more carefully, understand what’s the patient’s symptoms, you know, like diagnosis more, better,” Nhi said.

“It even makes me more angry because of the heart problems. And then the stomach pain is just like two different kinds of things.”

The family filed a complaint with Alberta Health Services and now wants to see change.

“I’m hoping that another family member doesn’t face with the same situation like this,” Nhi said.

‘A tragic outcome’: AHS

In a statement to CTV, Alberta Health Services called it “a tragic outcome.”

“Our thoughts are with this patient’s family and loved ones,” read the statement.

“We take situations like this very seriously.”

Nguyen leaves behind a wife and two young children, including his 12-year-old son, Henry.

“I was in full in grief. I miss my dad so much because he was actually a really kind guy and a good role model. So, I was crying for like a few days,” Henry said.

Henry is only left to remember his father through pictures on his phone and wondering about his father’s last words.

“He mostly always comes to me in the morning and says, ‘good morning.’ And then, like always, hugs me,” Henry said.

Despite life-saving efforts from his niece — and eventually emergency services — Nguyen was dead and transferred to nearby Bassano.

“This really frustrated, angry, anxiety, traumatized. Everything kind of emotions at the same time,” Nhi said.

His family says the medical examiner determined that his death was due to heart failure.

Alberta Health Services also says it will review the case.

“Incidents such as this are reviewed through established processes to better understand the circumstances involved, including the care provided and the clinical decisions made, and to identify opportunities to strengthen patient safety and quality of care.”

AHS would not share further details out of respect for patient privacy.

This death comes nearly half a year after an Edmonton man died at the Gray Nuns hospital in Edmonton, while in the waiting room after complaining of chest pains.

That case is also being reviewed by the province.