About 1:05PM, third and spring, a guy walking towards main in a hospital gown. Purple patrol guy rode past him without giving a second look.
Was it the City attorneys office that was going after hospitals for dumping patients downtown? Is anyone still working on that issue?
Sunday, March 29, 2009
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there are people still working on this issue..but i have to tell you, i worked for those "evil corporate goons" for several years, @Hollywood Presbyterian, one of the hospitals that was cited for dumping. and the thing is, many of the hospitals that are in close proximity to downtown, like hollywood pres, have homeless people present at the ER, either of their own volition, or because they are brought by LAPD, etc. They are treated until they are stable, usually referred to county hospital for follow-up,(which is a separate issue altogether- county doesn't have the beds, personnel or resources to deal with the demand- and neither do most of the hospitals near downtown) depending on their issues, and then released. at HP, i know for sure that everyone was provided transportation to a destination of their choice if they didn't have anyone to pick them up, and most homeless folks opt to go right back to the skid row street they came from. In every case I know about, Case managers from the hospital will try and find a shelter bed or other arrangement for a homeless person who wants that, but most don't. They request a ride back to the neighborhood they know. While I think dumping, when it actually occurs, is reprehensible, I think this is often a matter of misperception. How far should a hospital be obligated to go when resolving the social service needs of extremely poor and homeless people, in addition to providing healthcare at no cost?
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