W
hat do you do when a
patient wants to climb
into the back of an
Uber, Lyft or taxi after surgery
instead of riding home in the front
seat with a responsible caregiver?
And what if a patient tries to drive
herself home, like the sly 80-year-
old lady who told the nurses that
her husband was at home waiting
for her, but was unable to drive.
She had a taxi take her to her car
at the far end of the parking lot.
She drove herself home, still under
the influence of her auxiliary block
and sedation. Her husband? No, he
was not home waiting for her. He
had died years before.
Some practical advice
What's a surgical facility leader to do when a patient fails to comply
with the CMS requirement that all patients must be discharged in the
company of a responsible adult?
If you know beforehand that a patient won't have a ride home from
a friend or family member, you can reschedule the case — although
some suggest you should make a plan for discharge part of pre-op
preparation to avoid last-minute cancellations.
2 6 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 9
The Ride Home: Uber Complicated or Easy Lyft?
When there's no one there to drive your patient home after surgery.
Legal Update
Jason J. Krisza, Esq.
• STRANGER DANGER If you let an unaccompanied patient
take a taxi, Uber or Lyft home, you must consider the driver a
responsible adult.