Reading Fireman Dies After Hour + Wait for MD

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

A veteran Reading, PA fireman, in highly critical condition from Covid-19, was kept waiting for over an hour before an emergency physician arrived at his bedside, but it was too late.
The victim, Mark Kulp, 52, died Jan. 5 at Penn State Health - Saint Joseph just as a chest tube was finally being inserted.
"The cardio-thoracic physician failed to arrive in a timely manner," states a report from the state Department of Health.
Though the state report only refers to Mark Kulp as MR1, Wanda Kulp, said the patient was her late husband, who had been admitted in late December and tested positive for Covid-19.
Wanda Kulp said that neither the state or Penn State Health had informed her of the report's completion or release.
She said the family was kept "waiting and waiting."
In fact the report was completed in early March and posted on the state Health Department web site last week. The department generally does not make such reports public until 41 days after their completion.
Penn State Health - Saint Joseph officials did not respond to questions about the report including whether any action was taken against the physician who arrived one hour and 23 minutes after an anesthetist had reported to the scene.
The report states that just as a breathing tube was being inserted, Kulp coded. "The medical staff failed to provide timely medical care to a patient in respiratory distress," according to the report.
The anesthetist had arrived at 5:25 a.m. The unamed cardio-thoracic physician arrived at 6:45 a.m., according to the report.
The tube placement began at 7:22 a.m., the time of Kulp's death.
In its plan of correction, which the state accepted, hospital officials said new policies and procedures were put in place to insure against any recurrence.
"On March 4, 2021, the determination was made that the hospital took sufficient action to ensure hospital staff had a mechanism to follow when a physician did not report in a timely manner to provide emergent patient care," the Health Department report states.
The call for emergency help came early on Jan. 5 when Kulp experienced worsening breathing problems. An intensive care physician ordered an X-Ray which showed a collapsed lung.
"The virtual ICU physician ordered intubation and placement of a chest tube," the report states.
The longtime fireman, Kulp had also worked as an EMT and had transported patients who were diagnosed with Covid-19. His death prompted a large procession from the hospital to a local funeral home with his wife riding on Engine 7, her husband's engine.
In addition to his wife, Kulp was survived by his mother, Louise Kulp, a daughter, Alyssa Luft, a brother, two sisters and two grandchildren.
Contact: wfrochejr999@gmail.com