Death Spurs Inquiry Into Hospital’s Indigent Care

The death of a transient and the alleged improper care of two other homeless patients at Burbank Community Hospital has sparked an investigation by county health authorities and Burbank officials into the hospital’s care of the poor.

David Childress, supervisor of the enforcement and surveillance unit of the Los Angeles County Health Department, said Wednesday that investigators are examining medical records from the facility and Burbank police records to try to determine whether there was any pattern in the care of the three patients.

“It was noted that all three of the patients were indigent,” Childress said.

The hospital is a public one with a 24-hour emergency room, and is required by government funding rules to treat indigents.

Hospital officials denied any wrongdoing or mistreatment of the patients.

Man Found on Ground

The most recent case, which occurred last weekend, involved Robert Parks, 56, whom police found collapsed on the ground outside the hospital a day after he was admitted.

Childress said investigators are also looking into the case of John M. Simpson, 33, a transient admitted after being severely beaten last month. Simpson died July 29 in the intensive care unit. Another case involving the hospitalization of a transient woman last March is also being investigated, Childress said. But he refused to discuss details of the two cases.

In last weekend’s case, Parks was admitted about 6:30 p.m. Friday after Burbank police found him lying on his stomach in the 1100 block of North San Fernando Road, Burbank Police Capt. David Newsham said.

He was taken to the emergency room at the Burbank hospital. Doctors noted that Parks, a recovering alcoholic, had lice and was “very dirty,” Newsham said.

Covered With Insects

The following day about 11 a.m., police answered a call of a “man down” and found Parks about 200 feet south of the hospital, the officer said.

He was covered with dried blood “and a multitude of insects,” Newsham said. “He was disoriented and complaining of pain.”

Police notified paramedics, Newsham said. But, when officers and paramedics notified hospital personnel about Parks, they were told that he would not be readmitted because he had already been treated, Newsham said.

An ambulance summoned to take Parks back inside the hospital was canceled, and Parks was taken by police to County-USC Medical Center, Newsham said.

“The officers still felt that he needed medical attention,” the officer said.

Doctors at the hospital told officers when they arrived that Parks needed “immediate medical attention,” and was suffering from anemia and malnutrition, Newsham said. “The doctors said he was also badly infested with lice and maggots,” he said.

The officers who took Parks--Kathy Spears and Danny Crawford--also had to be disinfected at the hospital, officials said.

Parks was listed in serious but stable condition at County-USC Medical Center on Wednesday, hospital officials said. He was reported to be suffering from malnutrition and dehydration.

Diane Freeman, assistant administrator at Burbank, said Parks had been given a bath and medication for his lice before being released late Friday. She said part of the reason he was not allowed to re-enter the hospital was because he posed a danger to other patients and staff members.

“We have the whole community to consider,” she said. “We have to consider the other patients.

“There was not an acute reason for this man to be readmitted to the emergency room. We had done all we could do. We didn’t have the facilities to further treat him, and he was not in a life-threatening situation. He left and apparently went to sleep in the bushes.”

She also criticized the officers who felt that Parks needed more medical care. “I don’t know how the police got in the business of determining medical treatments,” she said.

“If someone is in a life-threatening situation, then we will treat them. We will do whatever it takes for whoever comes in the door in that condition.”