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Life-saving iPad doctor studies at Brunel Business School

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A Brunel Business School student saved a man who collapsed on a Heathrow plane after the student spotted a scan on his iPad from 11 miles away.

Hospital consultant Rakesh Patel was working at Northwick Park Hospital when flight passenger Glyn Danks collapsed on a plane at Heathrow Airport.

Mr Patel found out when A&E Doctors at Hillingdon Hospital called Northwick Park’s registrar, who relayed the news to him.

An ambulance rushed Mr Danks to Northwick Park for life-saving surgery after Mr Patel, who works at both hospitals, spotted his risky scan from his Hillingdon Hospital iPad and said that the patient needed to be transferred immediately.

“As I had my Hillingdon iPad, I logged in and reviewed the scan,” said Mr Patel. “He had a CT scan which demonstrated a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.” Nine in 10 cases are fatal.

Patient Mr Danks, 68, was rushed to Northwick’s hybrid vascular theatre where surgeons treated his aneurysm with stents. Mr Danks, originally from London, was discharged six days later and has since flown back to Perth, Australia.

“Thanks to the quick-acting Etihad crew members who commenced CPR on the plane and several NHS emergency services working together, we were able to treat the aneurysm at Northwick Park hospital,” said Mr Patel.

Mr Patel is studying an MBA (Masters of Business Administration) with Healthcare Management at Brunel Business School part-time while working full-time as a consultant. He wants to learn management skills he can use as a doctor to improve services for patients.

“We knew that he is a senior doctor and consultant, but we are pleasantly surprised and proud”, said Dr Bidit Lal Dey, MBA course deputy director, after London Evening Standard ran the story earlier this week. “All his colleagues in the MBA programme are very excited as well.”

Several people working in senior healthcare management, including GPs, occupational therapists and nurses, are studying the MBA with Healthcare Management at Brunel Business School – part of Brunel University London. 

Reported by:

Hayley Jarvis, Media Relations
hayley.jarvis@brunel.ac.uk