Man Committed To Psychiatric Hospital Died From Cancer: The Disability Law Center (Massachusetts Protection and Advocacy) issued its Investigation Report dated May 8, 2023 in which its stated:
Mr. Harris died on August 22, 2020 after a battle with cancer during his involuntary psychiatric commitment to the Metro Boston Mental Health Units within Lemuel Shattuck Hospital (LSH). At the time of his death at age sixty (60), Mr. Harris had been … a person with a mental health disability. After receiving a complaint and finding probable cause to initiate an investigation pursuant to federal Protection and Advocacy authority, the Disability Law Center (DLC) conducted an in- depth investigation into the circumstances of his death, including review by an independent medical expert.
In short, DLC’s investigation revealed that Mr. Harris developed a cancerous lesion on his nose that was not properly diagnosed or treated for more than a year and a half while inpatient within LSH, including a period of eleven (11) months waiting for a surgical referral. DLC found that LSH’s failure to provide Mr. Harris appropriate medical treatment constituted neglect and contributed to his painful, untimely death …
DLC now issues this public report to shine a light on Mr. Harris’ story as a saddening and disturbing example of the lack of or unequal access to quality medical care that people with mental health disabilities experience every day. Studies show that people with mental health disabilities experience disparities in health care access and health outcomes more often than their peers. DLC has received firsthand accounts of these experiences in various settings within the Commonwealth – including psychiatric hospitals, hospital emergency departments, nursing facilities, group living environments, and doctor’s offices. People with psychiatric diagnoses describe being unable to access necessary medical treatment during an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization; having their medical concerns dismissed by medical staff in hospitals, congregate care environments, and their own primary care offices; and being terminated from care for disability-related reasons. And there are certainly more stories of individuals, like Mr. Harris, who are unable to effectively self-advocate for appropriate treatment and rely on learned assistance from medical professionals who care for them daily, but who do not receive the timely care they need. Compounding these experiences are the institutional racism in U.S. health care delivery systems and pervasive health disparities for communities of color, women, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, people with Limited English Proficiency, people with low incomes, and people with other disabilities. While the Commonwealth continues to make efforts to improve health equity, barriers persist and must be dismantled, especially in our public hospitals.
If you or a loved one may have been injured (or worse) as a result of mental health malpractice in Massachusetts or in another U.S. state, you should promptly find a mental health malpractice lawyer in Massachusetts, or in your state, who may investigate your mental health malpractice claim for you and represent you or your loved one in a mental health medical malpractice case, if appropriate.
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