Wednesday, March, 18 2026 - A hospital in Florida is turning
to the courts for help removing a former patient, who has refused to leave a
hospital room after being formally discharged five months ago, a lawsuit says.
According to a lawsuit filed at the beginning of March, a
woman was discharged from Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare on Oct. 6, 2025, but
she "continues to occupy (an) inpatient room."
"TMH staff made repeated efforts to assist the
defendant in safely completing discharge," the complaint says. "TMH
offered assistance, including coordination with family members and offering
non-emergency medical transportation to obtain necessary identification."
The hospital is asking the court to order the woman to leave
the hospital and authorize the Leon County Sheriff's Office to help in removing
her.
It's not clear how unusual a circumstance this is, and how
often TMH has to use extreme measures to remove patients; the hospital declined
to comment. "TMH is not able to discuss active legal matters, including
background details," a spokesperson said.
The lawsuit comes at the same time the hospital is
negotiating an agreement with Florida State University to create an academic
medical center in Tallahassee. On March 11, the city voted to transfer the
hospital to the university, bringing the health care enterprise one step closer
to reality.
The complaint says that nearly a month after the woman was
discharged, the hospital gave the woman written notice she had to leave and
that legal action would be pursued if she didn't. "TMH has limited
inpatient beds," the complaint says. "The defendant's continued
occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care."
Hospital staff and resources are also being diverted to
address the woman's "continued presence." The former patient did not
respond to phone calls requesting comment.
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