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![handle is hein.gao/gaobaawfl0001 and id is 1 raw text is:
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House of :Representatives
Dear Ur.--Whitehurst.: - ..
ThLs-leftter-- ia_ in response to your February- 7, 1977,
request -to our Office to- make -certain inquiries on behalf
of your constituent, Mrs. Emma. Jean' Hedr ic],, 968- Newell
Avenue,-- Norfolk;- Virginia, 23518..
As-yod wilj-ricall, R erckssn.Sergeant First
Class (SFC)-Stephen Lee Hedrick,-'suffered-.cardiac arrest and
an upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage during surgery_ at the
died on-February 7, 1975-° SFC-Hedrick'ssurgery-was being
performed to- correct problem' resulting from -a back injury
incurr ed whi.e h was stationed-in._Vietnam . in-your- letter,--
action had-been-taken by officials at the Army's 121st
Evacuation-Hospital as a result of their own investigation
of this matter.,
The-subject of the implementation of any corrective action
was of particular interest to you since the Office of the
Army Surgeon. General- had informed you in a May 13, 1976, letter
on this subject that corrective action had. been taken to insure
compliance with current policy and high quality of care. In
the Kay 1976 -letter, the Army's Director, Health Care Opera-
tions,otold you that as a result of the Army's investigation
of the matter, several factors were- identified as contributing
to SFC Hedrick's cardiac arrest and his subsequent death.
Specifically cited were the less than thorough preoperative
patient evaluation, the delay in recognition- of the magnitude
of- bleedingr and the delay in administering' resuscitation--
because of the patient's prone position required for his back
operation-which ultimately resulted in neurological damage.
However, it was your understanding that despite such
assurances, corrective efforts had not been initiated.
HRD-79-18
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