Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Memorial Hospital is suing to evict a patient who refuses to accept placement in a long-term care facility after medical staff declared he was ready for discharge, according to The News-Press.
The patient, who is referred to in court documents as "John Doe," was admitted to Lee Memorial Hospital on May 14 for unspecified treatment and was medically cleared for discharge on June 6. Due to the patient's ongoing health problems, he must be medically supervised at home or in a long-term facility. However, the patient's family refused to take him home and refused to accept placement at a nursing home.
The lawsuit states that Lee Health "has made diligent efforts to find a long-term care facility who will accept John Doe, including contacting 678 long-term care facilities in the state of Florida," according to The News-Press.
The patient's insurer, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, stopped payments to the hospital because the patient's hospital stay is no longer deemed medically necessary.
Lee Memorial Hospital has not disclosed how much the patient's extended stay is costing the hospital, but claims it is causing delays in treatment for other patients.