Additional Coverage:
- Florida hospital sues to evict a patient who won’t leave room 5 months after discharge (nbcnews.com)
Tallahassee Hospital Sues Patient Refusing to Leave Room for Months
Tallahassee, FL – Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare has taken the unusual step of suing a patient who has reportedly refused to vacate her hospital room since being discharged in October of last year. The hospital is seeking a court order to compel the patient to leave and, if necessary, to authorize the county sheriff’s office to assist in her removal.
According to a lawsuit filed earlier this month, the patient, who remains unnamed, was formally discharged on October 6th after medical staff determined she no longer required acute care services. Despite repeated attempts by the hospital to coordinate her departure with family and even offering transportation for necessary identification, the patient has continued to occupy the room in question.
Hospital officials claim that the prolonged occupancy of the room is diverting crucial resources and preventing its use for other patients in need of acute care. “Defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care,” the hospital stated in the lawsuit.
Neither Rachel Givens, an attorney for the hospital, nor spokeswoman Macy Layton would comment on the ongoing legal matter, or provide details regarding the type of identification the patient allegedly needs. The lawsuit does not disclose the patient’s original medical condition, the cost of her hospital stay, or the circumstances that allowed her to remain for over five months post-discharge.
The patient is currently representing herself, as no attorney is listed on her behalf. Attempts to contact the patient via listed phone numbers and a direct call to her hospital room were unsuccessful.
An online court hearing for the lawsuit is scheduled for later this month.
Under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), hospitals receiving Medicare funds are obligated to provide stabilizing treatment for emergency medical conditions, regardless of a patient’s insurance status or ability to pay. However, federal guidelines state that patients can be discharged once clinicians determine further care can be provided on an outpatient basis, provided a plan for appropriate follow-up care is included in the discharge instructions.