Hospitals are grappling with more social admission and patients who won't leave at discharge, The Baltimore Banner reported Nov. 22.
Here are four things to know:
1. The estimated number of people experiencing homelessness has decreased slightly, but the rates of homeless people entering emergency rooms have more than doubled between 2011 and 2021.
More homeless people are coming to LifeBridge hospitals than ever before, Karen Jarrell, executive director of case management for Sinai Hospital and Grace Medical Center, told the Banner.
2. Many patients dealing with mental illness, drug addiction and homelessness are turning to emergency departments for shelter and care.
3. Some physicians and nurses will sometimes "stretch" a diagnosis to ensure a homeless person is admitted. These admissions, called "social admits" can put a strain on staff due to violent outbursts from patients and in some cases, patients refusing to leave.
4. Several hospitals have turned to the legal system to remove patients who refuse to leave at discharge. Baltimore-based Sinai Hospital sued a homeless patient who was admitted for chest pain, but whose treatment had concluded. The man was eventually removed after a judge ordered him to leave. San Francisco-based Dignity Health sued several patients in California for trespassing after they allegedly refused to be discharged once they were deemed medically and legally eligible.