I watched NBC Dateline tonight, and was horrified
@GardenGerty (157485)
United States
May 21, 2007 12:01am CST
In Los Angeles, the homeless are receiving very poor treatment by the hospitals. It is law that care cannot be denied, and followup care is to be planned and provided for before a patient is discharged. Kaiser-Permanente, and the Presbyterian Hospital have both been video taped DUMPING homeless patients on Skid Row. One lady had a fall, was in the hospital three days. They dumped her on skid row, in a hospital gown and an incontinent brief, no shoes, even, because they, the hospital, had lost her clothes. By their admission papers it was clear that she had mild dementia, and she was wandering the streets about 16 miles from where she actually lives. A homeless shelter saved her from what could have been a nasty end at the hands of some rough people on skid row. The other hospital took a man who was a paraplegic, and dumped him, literally pushed him, out of a company car, and left him crawling in the street, no walker, wheelchair, or anything. I am disgusted, and sickened, and I do not know what would be the best punishment for any hospital doing this. It has been going on for about twenty years, they said, but now they have video cameras to prove it. What do you think? These are not the only hospitals doing this, and I bet Los Angeles is not the only place this is happening.
2 people like this
13 responses
@wachit14 (3595)
• United States
22 May 07
I'm sure this kind of thing happens all over our country. Besides the fact that it is inhumane, the healthcare system is putting other people who come in contact with these homeless people at risk becaus they may have communicable diseases which they are unknowingly spreading. My son used to travel into the city every weekend for school and he came in contact with many homeless people living the train station and on the streets. Unfortunately, he was exposed to tuberculosis and he has tested positive for the disease, although it is completely latent. He probably will never actually have the disease and he isn't contagious, but he needs to be on medication every day for nine months nevertheless. This is just one of the many reasons why people who are homeless or living in poverty need medical treatment just like anyone else.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
22 May 07
Thank you, that is another very strong point. I wish people would think with the brain God gave them. You need to take care of everybody, or everybody will perish, starting with the lowest, and spreading through out.
1 person likes this
@tambdy (1967)
•
21 May 07
This is an absalute joke and these people deserve to get hang, fortunetly in the uk we do not seem to get much of this.
Sometimes you have the odd carehome which treats patients badly but not in the hospitals and we do not have to pay for our HNS(Hospital treatment). You have to think how someone can be this coldhearted and how you would feel if this was someone in your family.
Also i hope that if they have caught these people red handed that they will be prosocuted induvidualy and hopefully be made a example of how this will not be tollirated.
@GardenGerty (157485)
• United States
22 May 07
Carehomes or nursing homes and assisted living facilities can be another kind of nightmares. The president or some other big wig officer of KP hospital came on tv to apologize, and say that they, (the higher ups) did not know. I will bet they did.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
21 May 07
That is horrible. They should definitely be in big trouble. They should have to be financially responsible and also be punished other ways for such an act. The people that did it should also be prosecuted.
2 people like this
@texasclassygal (5305)
• United States
21 May 07
That is HORRIBLE, the hospital should be charged with a crime as I feel it is crime to do this to anybody, and replace all personnel that had any involvement in this matters, this is horrible, I am so glad I did not watch it would have upset me just as much.
2 people like this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
21 May 07
I hope the families of these poor people sue the hospitals for every last dime. How dare they.... these people are human beings just the same as apeople who have money.
2 people like this
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
21 May 07
It was horrible, gardengerty. I had flew to Los Angeles before and I can only say that it is not one of my favorite place.
Here in my country, I always heard from the news incident like a hospital wouldn't admit a patient unless they paid the amount required. In some cases, the staff will asked a patient to transfer to another hospital if they can't afford to pay the medical bills. I have nothing but pity for these poor people.
2 people like this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
24 May 07
Something is wrong with a society that does this. The US is a wealthy country, although I realise there is a huge gap between the rich & the poor.
What has lead people to this mistreatment of our underpriveleged? What has occured to basic human compassion? Why are the laws being ignored by these hospitals, & why aren't the hospitals being made to clean up their act?
Maybe a number of people in US society, need to do a compulsory course in sociology.
I can't answer most of my pown questions, as I am not familiar enough with US laws & the level of thinking in these selfish people.
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
23 May 07
I saw that. I was horified to say the least. How can they get by with that. They said the people were put out on the streets by taking htem from the hospital and dropped on the street. That is sad and says only bad things about a society that would allow this to happen.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
22 May 07
I once saw a doco about the homeless in America. It's hard to believe in such a rich country that people can be treated in this fashion. There was a bit about a woman with 3 children living in and paying rent for a site that was to be demolished. The place was overrun with rats and the landlord did nothing because he knew she had nowhere else to go. And homeless people sleep with their shoes on because otherwise someone will steal them. So sad.
@Destiny007 (5805)
• United States
21 May 07
I read this in the news a couple of days ago and I couldn't believe it.
There is no excuse to ever do this, and who would have ever thought a hospital would?
This is a terrible thing to do.
2 people like this
@princeworthy (1909)
• United States
23 May 07
I think that this is just horrible. How could the hospital be allowed to treat people this way? Even if they don't have money or insurance they are still people. I hope that something is done about this soon.
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
22 May 07
I didn't see this..but did hear on the news several weeks ago about people seeing ambulances dumping people on the streets. Some of them weren't homeless!
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
22 May 07
It is a shame what this world has come to. i saw a show similar to this. I find it appalling that hospitals actually practice "bum dumping". I think it is just terrible! How have we gotten to this point where we devalue someone's life because they are less fortunate and doesn't have insurance or money? Are they less than us? I think not. I hope that they are severely punished. I really would not even know what kind of punishment would be fitting. The offending people should be forced to do volunteer work in a shelter or soup kitchen for a few months and get to know these people that they think so little of, I think that would be a good start.
1 person likes this
