Florida hospital drops lawsuit against woman who refused to leave the facility
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — A Florida hospital has dropped its lawsuit seeking to evict a patient who refused to leave a room for months after her discharge because, the hospital said, she had finally left the hospital.
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital filed a lawsuit this month, seeking an injunction to force the woman out of Room 373 and allowing the county sheriff’s office to help if necessary. She was officially released from the hospital in early October.
A hearing was scheduled for Monday, but was canceled after the hospital filed a notice of voluntary termination with prejudice.
The case is no longer active because the patient “is no longer at TMH,” hospital spokeswoman Sarah Cannon said Monday.
The hospital’s lawsuit said resources were diverted from helping other patients because of the woman’s occupancy of the room.
According to the lawsuit, the woman was admitted to the hospital for medical treatment and a formal discharge order was issued on Oct. 6 because she no longer required acute care services. The hospital made several attempts to coordinate his departure with his family members, including offering transportation.
