|
tazzygirl -> RE: Deportation - by hospital? (6/27/2013 1:59:42 AM)
|
But when Wladyslaw Haniszewski fell into a coma in a hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, after suffering a severe stroke, he regained consciousness in the town of Boleslawiec in Poland.
The New Brunswick hospital - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - deported 69-year-old Haniszewski to his homeland because he had no medial insurance and was an undocumented immigrant.
Polish officials are furious as Haniszewski or any of his family had never given their consent.
"Imagine being carted around like a sack of potatoes," Polish Consul General Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka told New York Daily News .
"Behind our backs they transported the unconscious man to Poland,' she told Polish TV network TVN.
"I cannot imagine such a situation that the decision about transporting an unconscious person could be made without agreement. Between the two institutions must be a contract, there must be documents. You cannot simply leave a patient at the door and drive away."
............
US hospitals are legally bound to provide emergency care to all, but can ship "undocumented patients" back to their homeland through a process called "medical repatriation."
In order to do so the patient must be "stabilised". In many cases, the patient has an ongoing critical illness. The hospital must also get consent either from the patient, family or a court guardian.
In Mr Haniszewski's case, first reported in the Polish-language newspaper Nowy Dziennik, consular officials say this did not happen.
"It's an incredibly disturbing case,' Lori Nessel, director of the Centre for Social Justice at Seton Hall University School of Law told New York Daily News.
"This kind of action seems clearly illegal and also not ethical, but it's hard to bring a legal action."
A spokesman for the hospital said it had followed proper procedures.
"The individual was informed regarding his discharge plan and care. As the hospital's understanding of the facts differs from the published reports, we are conducting a thorough review of the procedures and communications surrounding this gentleman's care," said the spokesman.
He said the hospital only repatriates patients if they are satisfied a health care provider in the patient's home country will provide treatment.
However....
The Boleslawiec hospital's deputy director, Nikolaj Lambrinow, said Haniszewski was not in a fit state to sign off on the transfer.
He told TVN that Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital had contacted him regarding the transfer but before he agreed Haniszewski was dumped on their doorstep.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/travel/world/wladyslaw-haniszewski-falls-into-coma-in-us-hospital-and-wakes-in-poland/story-fni0bxo4-1226670945246
Seems there is an investigation going on as well.
According to Poland's TVN24, the Polish consulate in New York is set to investigate whether Haniszewski's deportation is consistent with U.S. law. In its statement to HuffPost, the hospital also said that it's working with the consulate to "ensure the patient’s needs continue to be met."
New Jersey Assemblyman and Deputy Speaker John S. Wisniewski (D) is also planning to inquire whether Haniszewski's legal rights were violated.
"As a country that owes much of its strength to its immigrant population, I fear this may be another in a number of recent incidents that have been fueled by a growing intolerance for immigrants among some of our fellow countrymen and denies too many U.S. residents of the basic human dignity to which we all are entitled as human beings," Wisniewski said in a released statement.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/26/stroke-victim-deported-unconscious-poland-immigrant_n_3505321.html
|
|
|
|
