A hospital in Vancouver, Washington, is being sued for negligence and emotional distress after it removed life support from the wrong patient, according to a report by PEOPLE Magazine on January 15.
Court documents revealed that PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center mistakenly identified David Wells as Michael Beehler in August 2021, leading the hospital to consult Beehler’s family about end-of-life decisions. Believing the patient was their loved one, the family agreed to discontinue life support.
Beehler’s sister, Debbie Danielson, recalled being devastated by the decision and even organizing a funeral for him. Days later, she received a shocking phone call from Beehler himself, revealing the grave mistake. “I said, ‘You can’t be alive. You’re dead!’” Danielson told KGW.
A subsequent fingerprint examination by the Clark County Medical Examiner confirmed the patient was not Beehler but Wells. Wells’ son, Shawn, criticized the handling of the mix-up, stating, “I’ll never be able to get that decision back.”
An investigation by the Washington Department of Health uncovered multiple violations by the hospital, including inadequate staff training and a lack of reliable patient identification processes. Although corrective actions have since been implemented, the violations did not result in citations.
PeaceHealth issued a statement expressing their commitment to safety and quality care but declined to comment further due to ongoing litigation. The lawsuit also names the Clark County Medical Examiner, American Medical Response Ambulance, and All County Cremation and Burial as defendants, alleging negligence and severe emotional distress.
