I agree that patient dumping is a horrible problem, but lets see if we can find a solution. First, when a homeless person enters the hospital and they are cleared of their illness, what agency or organization is reposible for that persons new home. Is it the hospital's job to find them a home? If so, how is that funded?

The only solution for many hospitals is to hope that the patient will be accepted to a mission or other similiar shelter, what do you do if they wont take the patient.

I would greatly appreciate any solutions that could be offered. This is a real problem and needs a solution.

I completely agree that hospitals shouldn't be required to feed, clothe, and shelter patients after they no longer need treatment/observation. But what's particularly bad about this practice is that the hospital failed to address the dilemma of figuring out where to send the patient that at minimum won't further harm his or her health. Instead, they take the low-responsibility road and hire drivers to just dump their patients without consent or knowledge (and in the case of the colostomy patient, despite the pleas of both patient and onlookers).

Three of the four patients all eventually ended up at the same mission after they were dumped. The hospital clearly had a resource in the community, then, with which they could have coordinated drop offs of patients who had no other place to go. If these missions won't take the person, the least hospitals can do is ensure that they've obtained patient consent to be dropped off somewhere.

It is sad because without a good solution hospitals choose to force patients to struggle with their poverty, their health, and their sense of dignity all at the same time. I hope more people will comment so we can talk about possible solutions. I agree with Chris that we have to couple our moral outrage with a plan.

I grew up in L.A. when homelessness was extremely rare. I remember that once a couple came to town on the promise of a job that fell through. They had no money to go back and nowhere to stay - their story got a half page of Human Interest coverage in the Times. And within a week, people had found them a place to live, the husband a job and they had enough cash to get them started. That was in the 50s. The poorest person could rent a single room for $8 a week - and General Relief would easily cover that. General Hospital was not luxurious, but they were conscientious. Homes were mostly to live in - not to speculate on and L.A. had a high rate of private home ownership. Rents were generally about a fourth of family income.

Something sure happened. Personally I think it is the dog eat dog society we live in now, stoked by a mean-spirited Republicanism, that has climbed to prominence on false stories of Welfare Queens, a wrong-headed 'war' on drugs, and an attitude of callous high dudgeon.

A law forbids involuntary servitude, the Thirteenth Amendment. A law forbids the taking of services and property, without due process, the Fifth Amendment.

So, go ahead criminalize dumping. However, enforce the penalties against enslavement, and regulatory takings. If the County of LA refuses to pay the hospital bill for extended stays of its homeless, at $1000 a day for a spot in the hallway, jail the responsible officials, the mayor and legislators.

These are lawyers. The longer jail incapacitates the cult criminals, the better. Once released, make them do community service, doing the personal care of homeless people with colostomy bags, who refuse to stop drinking.

I have an idea. After the patient's medical problems have been addressed, they could be sent directly to an attorney's office and stay there until all their legal problems have been sorted out. (Just kidding!)

If we want to pass laws to prevent patient dumping, then we need to figure out what we are going to do with these folks. Unfunded mandates are not the answer. My solution is that we need to fund the shelter and help the social workers who are there. Is this going to be expensive, you bet! But perhaps this will help some of the homeless not be homeless anymore. Problems need solutions. It is easy to find the problems, it is the solutions that are tough!

What a farce ... I went thru a similar process ... just type my name into a search engine ... Jason Grant Garza ... I got denied emergency services ... got a "Nurse Ratched" letter from the arresting agency seeking information and records, I went to CMS & L/C (Center for Medicare and Licensing and Certification) over the illegality only to have them ignore my paperwork, I went to federal court (no lawyer thou I asked, No due process ... not allowed to speak), I then went to the Inspector General (who have now fined the hospital - years later) ... except the victim is left with nothing. No damages, restitution, etc ... the perps (CMS,L/C, SF General) all still have their jobs and I am left to die. Please call Bevan Dufty (415-554-5646) at the SF Board of Supervisors if you don't believe me. Call Nancy Peolsi's Office (415-556-4862) since I have been involved with them for over six years and still sit here empty handed and damaged ... and the band plays on! For another article written read http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=3956

Methodist and Presbyterian

Whatever you do for the least of these, you do to me- I think jesus said this.

Hmm.... dump the poor - they ought to rethink their names.

This is sick beyond belief.

Impatient: I want you to mow my lawn. It is really big, acres, and it's 100 degrees. I want you to do it with a hand mower, because that is my philosophical preference. Also, I want you to do it for free.

You got a problem with that? Bring Jesus, so he can work for free, too.

Supremacist, what do you have against Christians?