Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street.

Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (Full Version)

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stella41b -> Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:14:09 AM)
quote: Witnesses watched with shock as a hospital van pulled over and dumped a paraplegic man in the street at Hollywood's "Skid Row". The man was left sprawling on the ground, wearing only a soiled hospital gown and a broken colostomy bag. Some of the witnesses were quick thinking enough to write down a phone number on the van along with it's license plate. The police were then able to track the van to Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center. The police are calling it a case of "homeless dumping" and Detective Russ Long said, "I can't think of anything colder than that. There was no mission around, no services. It's the worst area of Skid Row." This incident occurred just three months after another L.A hospital was indicted for homeless dumping. On that occasion, a 63 year-old patient was videoed wandering skid row in just a hospital gown and socks after being dumped there by Bellflower medical center. The executive vice president of the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center said "Obviously we are very concerned about the information that has been presented to us. If some of the facts are correct, it is clearly not in line with our policy of handling these types of patients." This isn't the first time Hollywood Presbyterian have been caught dumping vulnerable people on the streets. Back in 2005 they were accused of the same thing but the hospital denied the allegations. Apparently "homeless dumping" is becoming somewhat of a common practice in L.A with more than a dozen hospitals being accused of such by city officials./size] source - http://www.nemsplace.co.uk/news.php?210.220 Thoughts and comments please.

GabrielleSlave -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:21:45 AM)
You wanted thoughts and comments, but at the moment words just fail me...

sirsholly -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:22:54 AM)
Did they wish him a Merry Christmas before they threw him to the ground? There are just no words to say how very sad this is...

GreedyTop -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:34:05 AM)
I'm curious if the ambulance/van was actually owned and operated by the hospital or if it was a private contractor. Otherwise.. yeah, just stunned. Regardless of who owns/operates the thing, the people who did this should be prosecuted fully, and sent to live on skid row for 6 months or so.

thishereboi -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:48:18 AM)
Here is an update http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/31/local/me-dumping31 I wondered when I read the OP, because it sounded so familiar.

sirsholly -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:53:41 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: GreedyTop I'm curious if the ambulance/van was actually owned and operated by the hospital or if it was a private contractor. Otherwise.. yeah, just stunned. Regardless of who owns/operates the thing, the people who did this should be prosecuted fully, and sent to live on skid row for 6 months or so. The hospital arranges the discharge, and since he is homeless it was probably handled by a social worker. The ambulance co will probably say they were just following the directive of the hospital. Either way, i totally agree with you Greedy...they all need to be held accountable

thishereboi -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:55:52 AM)
I certainly hope all parties were held accountable. This happened almost a year ago, so I am not sure why it is being brought up now, but it is a very sad story.

tennesseesatyr -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 5:56:27 AM)
This is nothing new. It has been going on in LA for a long time, and probably occurs in other major metropolitan areas. The entire American health care system is FUBARed, and this is just one of the most heinous examples.

sirsholly -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 6:33:45 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: thishereboi Here is an update http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/31/local/me-dumping31 I wondered when I read the OP, because it sounded so familiar. so the hospital had to pay 1 million to various homeless agencies but nothing directly to the victim.

GreedyTop -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 6:41:32 AM)
I think there was a comment that there would be a civil settlement to be put in a trust for him, Holly...

sirsholly -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 6:42:39 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: GreedyTop I think there was a comment that there would be a civil settlement to be put in a trust for him, Holly... oops...i missed that. Thanks Greedy

Aneirin -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 6:50:58 AM)
Is this what it has come to, people if they have no money, are nothing, just worthless pieces of refuse to be thrown away ?

sirsholly -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 6:53:24 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Is this what it has come to, people if they have no money, are nothing, just worthless pieces of refuse to be thrown away ? a new class of citizen: disposable.

Lynnxz -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 6:55:50 AM)
:( That's horrible. I understand the hospital probably isn't getting their bills paid, and cannot let them stay there, but would it really be that difficult to drop them off at a shelter?

LadyEllen -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 6:58:45 AM)
I dont understand the problem? My impression was, that if you cant pay you dont get anything and this was The American Way (TM). If the paraplegic had no funds to cover his treatment either independently or by way of insurance, or ran short of funds either independently or because of some insurance company decision, then he must be discharged, and having no funds then skid row is obviously where he will live in future, even if he didnt live there previously. And being a paraplegic, its hardly likely he'll ever work to generate payment in the future either - and clearly, since he is unable to leave the ambulance of his own accord, he would have to be carried out and since he cannot stand, be laid on the ground. I really find it hard to understand why anyone should be shocked or surprised - this is how its meant to work I thought? The only difference between this case and the millions who suffer and die in abject pain at home for want of funds is that this case is more in the public eye. Now, let's consider the people who did this. Were they indeed heartless scum as might seem to be the case? Or is there an argument here that the whole thing was done very deliberately with the aim of securing him some sort of compensation settlement by way of the outrage it would cause? I find it very difficult to believe that hospital and ambulance staff are doing what they do for money - perhaps this was the only way possible for this poor soul to get what was required for his future treatment? But either way its a sad indictment of the most wealthy country on the planet, and of California - an economy greater than that of the UK, that this guy is dumped heartlessly or dumped with a purpose. And I wonder what those will say who maintain that a national health service is a bad thing? Becoming paralysed can happen to any one of them, every time they get in the car or cross the street - at which point they too would find that despite their current good rating when it comes to insurance et al, they would sooner or later be discharged when the costs mounted, and likely in similar circumstances. E

Lucylastic -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 7:02:58 AM)
Wonderful stuff eh Anaerin, we cant reward failure tho can we, scum of the earth deserve everything they get. No drive, no education, no home, no job, no guts for the way life is. Let him leak all over the sidewalk.(removing tongue from cheek) Sickening stuff but sadly not unusual. And its only gonna get worse. blech Lucy Edited to add..Lady E thankyou for saying it better than I ever could

kittinSol -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 7:04:00 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sirsholly quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Is this what it has come to, people if they have no money, are nothing, just worthless pieces of refuse to be thrown away ? a new class of citizen: disposable. What strikes me is that even though this story is deemed 'old' because it didn't happen yesterday, it's probably not the only time something like that's occurred. This kind of shit wouldn't even happen in some of the 'third world countries' I've visited where even though people are as poor as they come... they look after each other. So I ask: who's the third world again? It's a sad indictment on our society, the wealthiest on the planet, that this kind of thing should happen at all. Tax revenue should be used to ensure sick people don't get dumped on to the streets like that; it wouldn't even cost that much. But we choose to spend those huge sums of money on foreign wars, corruption, and elaborate weaponry...

UncleNasty -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 7:30:11 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: kittinSol quote: ORIGINAL: sirsholly quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Is this what it has come to, people if they have no money, are nothing, just worthless pieces of refuse to be thrown away ? a new class of citizen: disposable. What strikes me is that even though this story is deemed 'old' because it didn't happen yesterday, it's probably not the only time something like that's occurred. This kind of shit wouldn't even happen in some of the 'third world countries' I've visited where even though people are as poor as they come... they look after each other. So I ask: who's the third world again? It's a sad indictment on our society, the wealthiest on the planet, that this kind of thing should happen at all. Tax revenue should be used to ensure sick people don't get dumped on to the streets like that; it wouldn't even cost that much. But we choose to spend those huge sums of money on foreign wars, corruption, and elaborate weaponry... I don't want to completely hijack but feel it important to point out that citizens do not choose how the "huge sums of money" are spent. It is our elected officials that make those choices. They used to be called "representatives" but I don't believe that term is applicable anymore. Uncle Nasty

Lockit -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 7:36:42 AM)
Okay I just woke up and am dangerous in this state... but this is a topic close to my heart. After working in homelessness/domestic issues and the like and then getting sick enough to almost be homeless... I did have a garage, I would say it is close to my heart. Education has nothing to do with someone being homeless... there are people out there with more education that most of us! They just might be ill and need some medication or gave up emotionally because of the loss of a um or spouse or all their business. I will ask you all... the same thing I asked during my speaches. ANYONE can become homeless and you would be surprised who comes to our shelter. How many pay checks are you away from homelessness yourself? At that point the room would go silent and I could see that everyone was thinking. Their facial expressions changed and many would come tell me after the speach how far awy from homelessness they would be. As for the hospitals... I just had my own experience. I have had it many times in the last fifteen years since I became so ill. I have gotten used to it... but far less patient about it! Some young worthy doctor or doctor assistant that has never heard of my illness as it wasn't taught in the States decides that he knows more about the illness than I do and they try to give me medication that could cause me to bleed out. They then decide becasue I cannot take anti inflamitories as I really don't have that problem and it is just pain that could knock a horse off it's feet, but because of things these anti inflamitories could do in my brain and stomach... which could also lead to a bleed and because I am allergic to many pain medications over the counter and not... that I am drug seeking. They get mad because I don't have insurance and they consider me a transiant... just like the homeless. Uneducated... dysfunctional and ignorant... all to the point of mental disease. You got it... they don't dump me anyway because I don't get to stay... but they don't treat me either. Yes, our leaders passed laws that they are supposed to... but they pretty up the documents and pass the buck because they are overwhelmed with non insured and illegal immigrants. I do see both sides. But when you are sitting here in pain and sick... Stella has heard my cough just yestereday, plus the infection I have been trying to fight off without medication and put at further risk because of my illnesses and could stroke out... I have very little humor, patience or understanding. Now if hospital staff treats you this way... how do you think you will manage if there are medical malpractice caps in your state or how is a lawyer going to view this filthy mess that walks into the office with a story. Don't think that those free law service's work for everyone. That too is a falicy. Many have too many clients or simply don't have your issue as part of their agenda. Now... disgusted... I am going for my coffee while I figure out what I am supposed to do before Christmas with my own situation. At least in California it is warmer... what is going on in other states that are not and who will be next? How long are any of you from homelessness?

celticlord2112 -> RE: Hollywood hospital dumps paraplegic on the street. (12/21/2008 7:45:27 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: sirsholly quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin Is this what it has come to, people if they have no money, are nothing, just worthless pieces of refuse to be thrown away ? a new class of citizen: disposable. Hardly new. Been around since the beginning of the human race.

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