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Man who filmed viral video of discharged patient in hospital gown speaks out

Posted at 5:35 PM, Jan 11, 2018
and last updated 2018-01-12 08:01:14-05

Therapist Imamu Baraka runs a modest practice along Howard Street just behind the University of Maryland's midtown hospital campus.

RELATED: Hospital releases statement regarding patient dropped off at bus stop in hospital gown

Baraka is working on three doctorates at the moment, the latest one in healthcare administration, so when he saw the scene Tuesday night scene, he knew it wasn't right.

"I was like you've got to be kidding me. Are you frickin kidding me?"

What he saw is what the world is now seeing on a video he recorded that has gone viral; a woman left at the bus stop by hospital security wearing nothing but the socks and gown they give you.

"Are you okay ma'am? Do you need me to call the police?” Baraka asked the woman on the viral video before she stumbled, “Why don't you go and sit down ma'am, you don't look well…this is disgusting, that they would just leave her unattended on a bus stop...half naked," he said into the camera.

"They discarded this human being like she was trash with no regard to what was going to happen next,” Baraka said in an interview with WMAR.

What did happen next is he called the police and the ambulance took her right back to the same hospital.

On Thursday afternoon UMMC Ceo, Dr. Mohan Suntha addressed the viral video many are calling disturbing and embarrassing.

"We provided appropriate medical care to a patient who came to us in need but where we absolutely failed and where we own that failure is in the demonstration of basic humanity and compassion as a patient was being discharged."

Suntha was apologetic and stoic as he spoke of this major breakdown in hospital protocol which he says is being reviewed.

"We take full responsibility for this failure and we are examining our policies and procedures to make sure that this type of event does not happen again."

The woman has been discharged again Baltimore-based WMAR reported, this time put in a cab and sent to a homeless shelter.

Baraka said the woman's mother saw the video online and contacted him.

She said her daughter had been missing for weeks and she is mentally ill.

Now the patient is finally getting the care she needs Baraka said, but he urged the sharing of what he calls this patient dump outside UMM Midtown so that this country begins to address a growing problem.

"Awareness of what mental health is and what it isn’t and that we as a people will embrace those and ourselves when it comes to mental illness," Baraka said.