Chapter 4 - The first hospital error
Thomas had discovered the problem because an investigator reviewing an unrelated estate insurance claim found duplicate transfer codes.
Transfer ID:
SV-78441.
Assigned in one database to:
Evelyn Halstead.
In another:
Caroline West.
Blood type:
Evelyn: O positive.
Caroline: A negative.
The woman who died at County Memorial had:
A negative blood.
That should have been noticed.
It was, eventually.
But the death certificate had already been generated from transfer records.
Then the living patient.
A woman arrived at Mercy East unconscious and unidentified.
Pregnant.
No wallet.
Smoke-damaged clothing.
Her wristband partially melted.
She was entered as:
Jane Doe 17.
Blood type:
O positive.
She stabilized.
Fetal heartbeat present.
Two days later, she woke.
She said her name was Evelyn Halstead.
Why didn't Mercy East call me?
According to the file:
A woman from Renwick Medical Transit Services contacted the hospital.
She claimed Evelyn was involved in a domestic security matter and requested identity restrictions pending law-enforcement coordination.
Renwick Medical Transit.
Owned by Maude’s family.
There.
Who made the call?
Unknown initially.
But payment logs showed a private patient-transfer coordinator assigned.
Name:
Lydia Voss.
Employee of Renwick.
Lydia later claimed she received instructions from Maude’s uncle.
The uncle died three years ago.
Convenient.
Not proof.
Then Evelyn transferred again.
Not to another hospital.
To a private recovery residence.
Authorized by whom?
Evelyn herself after she regained capacity.
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Why?
That became the next question.
