I thought it would have been easy to get a man with stitches in his forehead and wearing nothing but a hospital gown back to the hospital. But it wasn't.
Both the police and the fire dept told me they're not set up to return a disoriented man in a hospital gown back to whatever hospital he wandered away from. Which I thought was surprising.
I called the two nearest hospitals, County General and White Memorial and both said, per his wristband, "Alfredo Campos" with his admit ID number, was not their patient.
So I gave him a few things and let him go on his way, which is what he wanted.
Jon - I'm sure the name of the hospital was on the ID but I didn't make it a point to look as I was so absolutely sure he was from County General. I thought I was doing good to take a picture of so as to have his ID number as well as his name, which I saw later was probably incorrect -"Comops"?
Paula, Jean and Chris - I think the fact that he was no longer with me was a deciding factor in the police and fire depts not getting involved. They're not set up to go looking for people. Neither seemed at all sympathetic but it might be a policy thing, regardless of dementia or brain concussion being involved.
@K: could it be that if they help one they have to help any that come along their way? I remember seeing a documentary where emergency people said something to that effect.
Unfortunately, the recession has caused already under-funded city departments to lose further funding. It's possible the police have to prioritize emergencies, and as this man was ambulatory he wasn't at the top of their list.
Kevin, sometimes your portraits are hard to look at. It makes them all the more immediate and important.
13 comments:
What happened K?
Both the police and the fire dept told me they're not set up to return a disoriented man in a hospital gown back to whatever hospital he wandered away from. Which I thought was surprising.
I called the two nearest hospitals, County General and White Memorial and both said, per his wristband, "Alfredo Campos" with his admit ID number, was not their patient.
So I gave him a few things and let him go on his way, which is what he wanted.
I think the police most certainly could have done something. Very odd don't you think?
The wristbands in CA don't have the hospital name on them?
Good on you for trying, Kevin. I hope that the fact that he had been stitched up already is an indication that he will be alright.
Poor man.
I am surprised that the police didn't take this on.
They probably didn't take this on because they didn't want to be involved.
Jon - I'm sure the name of the hospital was on the ID but I didn't make it a point to look as I was so absolutely sure he was from County General. I thought I was doing good to take a picture of so as to have his ID number as well as his name, which I saw later was probably incorrect -"Comops"?
Paula, Jean and Chris - I think the fact that he was no longer with me was a deciding factor in the police and fire depts not getting involved. They're not set up to go looking for people. Neither seemed at all sympathetic but it might be a policy thing, regardless of dementia or brain concussion being involved.
@K: could it be that if they help one they have to help any that come along their way? I remember seeing a documentary where emergency people said something to that effect.
Unfortunately, the recession has caused already under-funded city departments to lose further funding. It's possible the police have to prioritize emergencies, and as this man was ambulatory he wasn't at the top of their list.
Kevin, sometimes your portraits are hard to look at. It makes them all the more immediate and important.
Good for you Kevin, both the compassion and the photography.
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