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Valley Man Left Stranded Following Medical Treatment

6 years 3 weeks 1 day ago Monday, March 05 2018 Mar 5, 2018 March 05, 2018 11:17 PM March 05, 2018 in News

HARLINGEN – A Harlingen man was nearly stranded in Houston, hundreds of miles away from home.

Sergio Medina was taken to Houston Methodist Hospital via ambulance mid-February to undergo surgery, but when he was discharged medical staff told he'd have to find his own ride home.

Medina said he never thought a scheduled appointment to Valley Baptist Medical Center to get a catheter replaced for his routine dialysis would lead to his current situation.

While at the hospital, Medina said he told doctors about shoulder pain he was experiencing. Medina said he fractured a bone in his shoulder a few years ago but never sought treatment.

He said doctors at Valley Baptist Medical Center told him he needed to see a specialist; the closest one was over 300 miles away according to what Medina said medical staff told him.

Medina was taken to Houston Methodist Hospital via ambulance with no specifics on his return trip.

"I figured, you know they're taking me out there, you know, they're going to bring me back. Well no, that was the situation, they took me out there and I had to find my own way back," said Medina.

Medina said medical staff told him he'd have to pay nearly $2,000 to return via ambulance or find his own ride. His provider was met with the same response.

Medina's provider picked him up from the hospital after he was discharged. Medina says no one from either Valley Baptist or Houston Methodist explained or apologized for the situation.

Houston Methodist Hospital and Valley Baptist Medical Center say they can't comment on the case due to patient confidentiality.

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