Kaiser hospital sends 90-year-old patient home in cab, fails to notify family

Megan Knowles -

Kaiser Permanente San Jose (Calif.) Medical Center discharged a 90-year-old patient with failing kidneys and sent him home in a taxicab without notifying his family, according to NBC Bay Area.

The patient, William Lee, "has Level 5 kidney failure and also chronic heart problems, and his lungs were full of fluid," Dawn Ross, Mr. Lee's daughter, told NBC Bay Area. "He's literally going to be passing at any time now, and a week ago, they shoved him in a taxicab and sent him home with no one."

Although the hospital apologized for the incident, it remains unclear who decided to discharge the patient and send him home in a cab.

Mr. Lee, who was first brought to the Kaiser hospital April 1, was wearing only a hospital gown and socks when he was discharged.

When Mr. Lee was brought to the hospital, Kaiser estimated he'd be released several days later on April 5, according to Mr. Lee's family. When April 5 came, Mr. Lee's son reached out to Kaiser and found out the hospital already discharged Mr. Lee and sent him to a board and care home listed as his address.

"When I got here, the boarding care people told me that he had arrived there in a taxicab." Mr. Lee's son said.

The senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente in San Jose issued a statement, saying in part, "What occurred is a clear violation of our policies and should not have happened," according to the report.

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