FARMINGTON — Franklin Memorial Hospital and the state office that oversees emergency medical services are both investigating the circumstances of the medical treatment of a skier who died on Sugarloaf last week, but neither probe is complete and no details are being made public.

“Throughout this week, we have been conducting a review of this situation,” Rebecca Ryder, president and chief executive officer of Franklin Community Health Network, said Friday in a prepared statement. “As part of that fact-finding, all involved need to be interviewed, and we have not yet completed that process.”

Maine Emergency Medical Services, a division of the state Department of Public Safety, is also looking into an allegation by the wife of skier David Morse that the NorthStar ambulance crew that treated him after his skiing accident on the mountain did not care for him properly.

Morse, 41, of Harmony, Nova Scotia, died en route to Franklin Memorial Hospital shortly after 5 p.m. on Jan. 12, Carrabasset Valley police said. Franklin Community Health Network owns the hospital and the ambulance service.

“I understand that this is a very difficult time for the patient’s family, and especially for his wife and children,” Ryder said in the statement. “I am committed to fully understanding all aspects of what occurred following this tragic accident, and will work toward that end.”

Hospital officials won’t give details of the review, which began Monday.

The skier’s wife, Dana Morse, told The Chronicle Herald — a newspaper in Halifax, Nova Scotia — that the ambulance crew didn’t provide proper medical care to her husband. She is a nurse practitioner, according to the newspaper. She also told the newspaper that the ambulance crew left her by the side of the road about three-tenths of a mile into the journey to the hospital.

Hospital officials said Monday that Dana Morse had yet to make a complaint to them. On Friday, Jill Gray, community relations manager for Franklin Memorial Hospital, said that the hospital will not comment on whether a complaint was made since then.

Dana Morse did not respond to a request for comment Friday.

The cause of David Morse’s death was chest trauma from the Jan. 12 ski accident, the state medical examiner said Thursday.

Jay Bradshaw, director of Maine Emergency Medical Services, said Friday that his office has been conducting its own review into the allegation that the ambulance crew didn’t provide proper care for Morse. The emergency medical services agency, which is responsible for patient treatment issues statewide, began gathering information Sunday for its independent review, Bradshaw said.

“Information from the hospital is one of the sources and we’re collecting information independently as well, and that process is continuing into next week,” he said.

Bradshaw said he would not discuss details until the review is complete. He spoke with Dana Morse this week and his office has not received an official complaint from her, he said.

The state emergency medical services agency conducts reviews for a variety of reasons, including complaints filed by individuals or allegations published in the media, Bradshaw said.

In general, the review gets information from direct contact by a patient or family member, from another health care provider, a hospital and other sources, Bradshaw said.

The next step is to determine whether there is sufficient information regarding a potential violation of the Maine EMS rules to warrant further action, which would lead to an investigation, he said.

In many cases, that decision is made by Bradshaw’s office. Depending on the specifics of the complaint and the information collected, he may also consult with the Maine Office of the Attorney General, he said.

If it is determined that a complaint is found to be without substance, it may be dismissed. If there is merit to the complaint, the information would be presented to the Board of Emergency Medical Services, Bradshaw said.

According to state law, the board has the authority to modify, revoke or suspend an entity’s license, as well as pursue fines and jail time, Bradshaw said.

The decisions made following a review are made public, with privacy laws affecting the release of certain information, Bradshaw said.

According to the emergency medical services agency records, there have never been any investigations or complaints filed regarding NorthStar Ambulance, Bradshaw said.

David Robinson — 861-9287

drobinson@centralmaine.com

Statement from Rebecca Ryder, president and chief executive officer of Franklin Community Health Network, regarding the skier’s accident:

I would ask everyone in our community and around the state of Maine to join me in extending our heartfelt sympathies to the family who lost their loved one last week as the result of a skiing accident. I have asked the employees in my organization to join me in doing the same.

I understand that this is a very difficult time for the patient’s family, and especially for his wife and children. I am committed to fully understanding all aspects of what occurred following this tragic accident, and will work toward that end.

Throughout this week, we have been conducting a review of this situation. As part of that fact-finding, all involved need to be interviewed, and we have not yet completed that process.

Integral to the mission of Franklin Community Health Network is providing high quality care to our patients and families. As president of the network, I am confident that the health professionals in our organization, which includes NorthStar ambulance service, have continued to maintain our values of expert clinical care and compassion, defined by consistently showing respect for all the people we serve.

Source: Franklin Community Health Network

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