Patient Dies After Transfer From Rychnov Hospital: Region Demands Prosecutor's Investigation

The administration of the Hradec Králové Region has filed a request with the state prosecutor's office to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a patient at the hospital in Rychnov nad Kněžnou, which occurred two years ago. The woman, who had previously undergone knee replacement surgery in Prague but lived in East Bohemia, was brought to the hospital with complications. She was transferred back to Prague almost immediately — at her own request and that of her relatives. She died shortly afterward.

The 72-year-old woman was rushed to the Rychnov hospital by ambulance due to sudden complications following her knee replacement operation. Doctors determined that the patient had developed sepsis and faced a risk of organ failure. Despite this, after undergoing examinations, she was transferred to Prague.

What Doctors and Relatives Say

"That was the wish of the relatives and the patient herself. We consulted with doctors at Motol Hospital, and they agreed to the transfer. The transport was carried out safely," said Luboš Mottl, director of the Rychnov nad Kněžnou hospital.

The woman died after being transferred to Prague. Experts brought in by the regional administration criticized the decision to transport her, concluding that the risks outweighed any potential benefit. However, the Czech Medical Chamber found no violations. The investigation was launched following a complaint from the deceased woman's daughter.

Region Files Complaint Against Its Own Hospital

"Normally, the region doesn't file criminal complaints against its own institutions, but in this case certain doubts arose, so we handed the materials over to the prosecutor's office for review," explained Dan Lehmann, a spokesperson for the Hradec Králové Region.

"It's an unusual decision, but I respect it," responded hospital director Mottl. "The hospital did everything it was supposed to do, and no violations were committed," he emphasized.

Around Prague, based on reporting by ct24.ceskatelevize.cz