Factual error: In the scene when they are leaving the Pittsburgh Zoo, the sign indicates to turn right for Interstate 79. However Intestate 79 is about 15 miles to the west of the zoo. Also, it is suggested that Interstate 79 is the turnpike (a tolled road), when actually Interstate 76 is the turnpike and Interstate 79 is not tolled.
Factual error: When Lara's test results show her diabetes is dangerously out of control, she would not have been rushed to the hospital without first running a very quick and simple blood sugar test. Diabetics routinely test themselves several times per day, so the prison medical office would already have the test equipment on hand.
Factual error: Just like in the United States, there is no exit passport control in Canada. That is, when one leaves the country one's passport is not checked by Border Services.
Answer: John planted fake blood work for Laura indicating that she had hyperkalemia (increased potassium levels), a condition that is potentially fatal. She would need to be transferred to a hospital to be treated.
raywest ★
If Laura was was suffering from hyperkalemia, wouldn't the jail doctor have reported it before John planted the fake blood work?
She wasn't actually suffering from it. John had planted the fake medical report that the doctor presumably then read and acted upon by arranging for her to be transferred to the hospital.
raywest ★
I doubt the jail's doctor would be fooled by the fake medical report since Laura wasn't showing any obvious physical symptoms.
Many medical conditions do not show physical symptoms early on, but are detectable with tests. For example, people live with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, brain tumors, etc. for some years before experiencing any physical effects. The doctor read the results of Laura's blood test, and, as was standard procedure, had her admitted to the hospital, presumably for additional testing that could not be performed within a prison setting. Also, after some additional reading on the subject: hyperkalemia often has no early symptoms. Later symptoms are flu-like-such as muscle aches, physical weakness, nausea, fatigue, etc. That may be why John chose that particular condition, and it is something Laura could easily have faked.
raywest ★
I still think the jail's doctor would get suspicious since blood test results are not monitored and delivered to a county jail by an outside lab.
Suspicious or not, he would act in the patient's best interests. If the hospital blood tests come back negative, then he doesn't have a problem. If Laura dies in his care from an easily treatable condition which he knew about, it's goodbye career and hello huge malpractice suit. He would be fully conversant with the procedures used while transferring prisoners to local hospitals, including the very close security put in place, and he has no reason to think that someone is putting this incredibly elaborate escape plan into effect.
Speaking of a prisoner being transferred to a hospital, does that happen very often?
But don't jails, and prisons tend to keep a prisoners hospitalization a secret?