This video from ABC News and the related article shows how bed bugs are becoming a growing problem for hospitals and health care providers. As we have recently blogged, more and more hospitals are having to deal with patients who are coming with bed bugs on their clothing or bags. This not only becomes a pest control issue, but it can also lead to further problems for patients already admitted to the hospital who are extremely sick from other diseases.
In this case, it appears that the woman in question was denied medical treatment from the attending doctor because she told them she had bed bug bites. What spurred this article is how the doctor reacted to the news of the bed bug bites and how he basically told her to leave. When questioned later, the hospital said they had protocols in place to deal with such an issue. However, I believe that may not exactly be the case and that it probably varies from hospital to hospital throughout the country.
Bed bugs are more than a nuisance or financial pest. They are becoming an issue that is stigmatizing those that have them. As more hospitals deal with the bed bug issue, hopefully, a plan will be put in place to make sure that the hospitals protect themselves and that people with bed bug bites are not denied the medical care they need.