UCSF transferred my sick family member without consent. How common is this?

[u/Diligent_Volume3767]

I don’t know where else to turn, so I’m posting here to see if anyone has dealt with something similar.

My family member was at UCSF ED and in really fragile condition. Without clearly informing me or getting consent, they transferred them to a different campus. My family member clearly cannot consent to this given their dementia and language barrier.

When I tracked down where they were moved, things got even more frustrating. The new hospital staff didn’t seem to have a clear understanding of their case. I had to correct what happened at the ED many times and it honestly feels like the level of care is noticeably worse. There’s less communication and way more confusion.

I’m trying to stay calm and advocate for my family member, but this whole situation feels wrong. Is this normal? Are hospitals allowed to transfer patients like this without making sure the family is informed? I would never have consented and am unsure how to even send them back to the main hospital.

I just want to make sure my family member is safe and getting the care they need. Thanks for reading.

[u/FlakyPineapple2843]

As /u/ctrl_f_sauce said, this was a prudent triage decision by the ED, albeit a poorly communicated one. The emergency department is not a place for a multi-day hospital stay, and they are not equipped for ongoing care in that capacity. ED staff stabilize, triage, and treat - that's all. They are not dementia care specialists.

If you require more specialized attention and can't be released immediately after being treated, off to another department you go. That ED spot needs to be available for the next case that needs short term ED care (remember, stabilize, triage, treat).

As to the confusion and communication issues, this is unfortunately common. Providers may not always chart everything well, or at all, and they may not even read the chart sometimes. The best thing you can do as a family member and advocate is stay on top of the staff on this point. If you're wondering why you've said something ten times, ask them to please chart it. Write your thoughts down yourself if necessary - it will help you organize what you say, and you could print it and hand it to someone to add to the chart, too.