The fianc� of an asthmatic woman who died from H1N1 after being turned away from Richmond General Hospital several times can't believe doctors didn't catch it.

"The value of human life, it's got to be more than that," Dave Palen told CTV News.

His partner, 51-year-old Mae Mah, went to hospital twice with breathing trouble, sinus congestion and a fever in 48 hours. Hours after her second hospital visit Nov. 1, she went into cardiac arrest and died.

The woman Palen called 'Maisy Daisy' was sent home after each hospital visit without being tested for H1N1.

"To just process people and throw them back on the street there's no excuse," Palen said.

B.C.'s health minister is trying to reassure people about the level of care in hospitals after Mah's death. Kevin Falcon offered condolences to the family but said people shouldn't rush to comment.

"This will be reviewed by hospital staff and the physicians involved," he said. "And if the family wishes, they can make a complaint."

Jennifer Schulz is skeptical. Three months ago when she was 38 months pregnant, she and her very sick boyfriend were sent home by Richmond General.

Doctors said he had a cold or the seasonal flu. She was later rushed in for an emergency C-section when it was learned he had H1N1.

The hospital was supposed to follow up with Shultz but she never heard back.

"Our situation should have made them go 'okay, we're under the microscope, we need to step it up a notch.' But they didn't."

Meanwhile, Mae Mah's family claims the hospital was negligent.

"This shouldn't have happened," her daughter, Tiffany Yung, told CTV News Tuesday.

"They should have done something. If they did, she would probably still be here."

Hard to diagnose

An H1N1 expert says diagnosing the virus in asthmatics can be difficult. Symptoms can calm down and then spike up unexpectedly.

But Dr. Anand Kumar said given the current pandemic, and the fact viral infections tend to make asthma worse, he'd err on the side of caution.

"It doesn't specifically say H1N1. It does say there is something you want to pay attention to, that there may be more going on than just a routine asthma flare," he said.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's Leah Hendry