A hospital in Florida is turning to the courts for help removing a former patient, who has refused to leave a hospital room after being formally discharged five months ago, a lawsuit says.
According to a lawsuit filed at the beginning of March, a woman was discharged from Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare on Oct. 6, 2025, but she “continues to occupy (an) inpatient room.”
“TMH staff made repeated efforts to assist the defendant in safely completing discharge,” the complaint says. “TMH offered assistance, including coordination with family members and offering non-emergency medical transportation to obtain necessary identification.”
The hospital is asking the court to order the woman to leave the hospital and authorize the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to help in removing her.
It’s not clear how unusual a circumstance this is, and how often TMH has to use extreme measures to remove patients; the hospital declined to comment. “TMH is not able to discuss active legal matters, including background details,” a spokesperson said.
The lawsuit comes at the same time the hospital is negotiating an agreement with Florida State University to create an academic medical center in Tallahassee. On March 11, the city voted to transfer the hospital to the university, bringing the health care enterprise one step closer to reality.
The complaint says that nearly a month after the woman was discharged, the hospital gave the woman written notice she had to leave and that legal action would be pursued if she didn’t. “TMH has limited inpatient beds,” the complaint says. “The defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care.”
Hospital staff and resources are also being diverted to address the woman’s “continued presence.” The former patient did not respond to phone calls requesting comment.
Local government watchdog reporter Elena Barrera can be reached at ebarrera@tallahassee.com. Follow her on X: @elenabarreraaa.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare sues patient who won’t leave
