Hospital agrees to $1 million settlement for allegedly dumping patient on skid row

Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center on Friday settled charges that it left a paraplegic man crawling around downtown Los Angeles’ skid row in a hospital gown and colostomy bag by agreeing to pay $1 million and be monitored by a former U.S. attorney for up to five years.

The resolution marks the biggest settlement so far in the city’s efforts to crack down on hospitals and other institutions that “dump” patients along skid row.

Kaiser agreed to a smaller settlement last year, and the L.A. city attorney’s office said it is investigating more than a dozen other hospital and medical offices suspected of dumping.

“This is another important step in our campaign to put an end, once and for all, to this horrendous and unconscionable practice in our city,” said City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo. “Besides ensuring that this hospital will never again engage in this practice, this settlement will also bring programs that will help address the lack of medical care for homeless people in the Hollywood area.”

As part of the settlement, Hollywood Presbyterian agreed to adopt new discharge rules and enhance services for homeless patients. The $1 million will go to nonprofit groups that aid the indigent and homeless patients in the Hollywood area and other parts of the city.

“We have now done everything we told the community last year we would do in response this incident,” Hollywood Presbyterian Chief Executive Jeff Nelson said in a statement. “From the first day we promised to take action to review our policies, procedures and services for homeless patients and improve them where needed.”

 richard.winton@latimes.com