A hospital is seeking a court order to remove the former patient who they say is taking up valuable time and resources.
For most people, being cleared to leave hospital is a relief — as long as medical staff are satisfied they’re well enough to go home.
At Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Florida, however, staff say one former patient has done the opposite: despite being discharged months ago, she is allegedly refusing to vacate her room.
The hospital has now moved to resolve the situation through the courts. It is seeking an order that would compel her to leave, and it also wants assistance from the Leon County Sheriff’s Office to remove her if necessary.
According to lawsuit documents viewed by USA Today, the woman was discharged on October 6, 2025 and ‘continues to occupy [an] inpatient room.’
The complaint continues: “TMH staff made repeated efforts to assist the defendant in safely completing discharge.
“TMH offered assistance, including coordination with family members and offering non-emergency medical transportation to obtain necessary identification.”
The filing also says that almost a month after her discharge, the hospital provided written notice warning that legal action would follow if she did not leave.
The lawsuit continues to state: “TMH has limited inpatient beds.
“The defendant’s continued occupancy prevents use of the bed for patients needing acute care” and her “continued presence.”
A representative for Tallahassee Memorial Hospital said: “TMH is not able to discuss active legal matters, including background details.”
How often situations like this occur isn’t clear, though healthcare workers do sometimes find themselves dealing with unusual and unexpected incidents.
In one widely reported case in France, staff at a hospital in Toulouse were reportedly shocked after a 24-year-old man arrived in pain with a World War One German artillery shell — measuring 16x4cm and dating back to 1918 — lodged in his rectum.
A staff member at Rangueil hospital, speaking anonymously to local newspaper La Dépêche du Midi, said the man presented with severe pain.
The response escalated quickly, with a bomb squad and firefighters called in and the area evacuated over safety concerns about the device.
Reports later stated that the shell was decommissioned, and bomb disposal officers declared the scene safe.