Howard University Hospital Is in Crisis

Howard University Hospital (HUH) has suffered a steady decline from its glory days as a grand hospital for the middle-class black patients of the city, to an institution that is leaking respected physicians, accreditation for five of its training programs, administrators and money. The Washington Post published an extensive expose revealing that the hospital has paid out at least $27 million in malpractice and wrongful death settlements since 2007.

The Post also reported that Howard University Hospital had the highest rate of wrongful death lawsuits of any of the six D.C. hospitals, which collectively had 675 medical malpractice and wrongful death lawsuits filed since 2006. While the hospital has announced that they have a $4.3 million surplus, they lost $58 million in 2014, and $19 million in 2015.

The lawsuit that started it all

David Rosenbaum, a New York Times reporter, was taken to HUH after he was mugged, where the paramedic told the nurse that the man was drunk. He lay on a gurney for hours before his condition was assessed and he was taken to an emergency room. He died 48 hours after arriving at the emergency room. Rosenbaum’s family sued HUH, and his 2006 death precipitated a national scandal that tarnished the hospital’s reputation. Unfortunately, Rosenbaum’s death did nothing to change how the city’s emergency medical services, or Howard University Hospital operated.

Additional lawsuits wrongful death lawsuits against HUH

Some of the medical malpractice lawsuits about negligent care at HUH detailed in the Post story include that of cab driver Solomon J. Okoroh, who was shot by two men in Adams Morgan in a failed robbery attempt. Paramedics took Okoroh to Howard University Hospital because he was bleeding from gunshot wounds in the shoulder from the robbery. Unfortunately, he was left laying on a gurney for 70 minutes without medical attention. By the medical team noticed that he was struggling to breathe, he died within minutes.

Patricia Moore, 61-years-old, was discharged after she had come to the emergency department four days earlier with shortness of breath from asthma. She was weak and unable to walk unassisted, but she was released, in her hospital gown with bare feet. Upon arrival, back at the assisted living facility where she lived, Moore was found slumped over in a chair and rushed back to the hospital where she died the next day. Her son sued the hospital and settled for an undisclosed amount.

Current officials at HUH declined to be interviewed for the Post’s story, however they did issue a statement containing the hospital’s recent financials and a statement about their commitment to providing quality patient care.

We rely on our hospitals to provide care when we are ill or injured. Hopefully, Howard University Hospital will find a way to stem the tide of medical mistakes, injuries and death for patients who end up there.

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