Hospital: Procedures were not "strictly" followed when homeless man was left on Skid Row

A hospital said Thursday that procedures "were not strictly followed" when a van driver left a discharged paraplegic man crawling on Skid Row this month, and steps will be taken to improve services for the homeless.

The statement by Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center came as local and state officials, responding to a series of incidents, unveiled a bill that would make it a crime for hospitals to discharge homeless patients on streets.

Authorities said the man was seen crawling in the street Feb. 9 after being dropped off by a van.

"As a result of our investigation, and the fact that some policies and procedures were not strictly followed, Hollywood Presbyterian is implementing a series of actions to further enhance hospital services for the homeless who receive care at the facility," the hospital statement said.

The alleged dumping of homeless patients by hospitals and release of criminals on Skid Row by law enforcement agencies has been under investigation by Los Angeles police for months.

Authorities have had trouble building criminal cases against medical providers because there isn't a state law that specifically prohibits leaving patients on the streets. The legislation would make it a misdemeanor to leave patients anywhere other than their residences without their informed consent.

False-imprisonment charges have been filed against Kaiser Permanente for allegedly leaving a homeless woman on Skid Row last year, but legal experts question whether the charges will stick.

Jennifer Bayer, public affairs director for the Hospital Association of Southern California, said fines and arrests are not productive.

"The problem goes back to the lack of social services for homeless and indigent patients who end up in hospitals," she said. "We are already spending $2 billion in uncompensated care providing medical treatment for indigent patients."

Hollywood Presbyterian said it plans to appoint a coordinator who will be responsible for overseeing care relating to homeless people after the Feb. 9 incident. Patient-discharge policies also have been revised to include a requirement that all transportation requests be approved by a supervisor, and that the individual provide written consent to any transportation.