An Ohio ambulance driver abandoned their patient while they were being transported from Toledo to a clinic in Cleveland, according to a new report.
Lema Tackett-Kuscmaul, 50, was being transported to Cleveland Clinic in a private LYNX ambulance before she was abandoned near a gas station around 8pm by the unnamed paramedic driving her on October 28.
According to FOX 8, Tackett-Kuscmaul called 911 pleading for someone from the Cleveland EMS clinic to come pick her up.
The woman explained to authorities that the paramedic driving the ambulance got lost when their GPS began leading them in circles.
Tackett-Kuscmaul said the paramedic decided to get out of the ambulance and leave her and the other Lynx EMT in the back of the truck without an explanation.
‘Please get someone out to help me. I’m begging you. She said she’s done driving. She said she’s taking an Uber. She’s leaving us,’ Tackett-Kuscmaul said in the 911 call.
‘I was screaming. I was definitely screaming at the top of my lungs. The guy in the back with me was wondering where she is. They were trying to get me to take, I wanted the aspirin to keep me from having a heart attack and it’s like total chaos,’ Tackett-Kuscmaul told FOX 8.
Tackett-Kuscmaul told the outlet she was being transferred to the clinic to receive treatment for a spinal injury she suffered in June. She said she was unsure when she would be released from the hospital and return home.
Lema Tackett-Kuscmaul, 50, was being transported to Cleveland Clinic in a private LYNX ambulance before she was abandoned near a gas station around 8pm by the paramedic driving her on October 28. Source: Facebook/@Lema Tackett
Tackett-Kuscmaul revealed on the emergency call the bizarre moment the paramedic decided to get out of the ambulance and leave her and the other Lynx EMT in the back of the truck without an explanation. Source: Facebook/@Lynx EMS
Tackett-Kuscmaul told the outlet she was being transferred to Clevland Clinic from Toledo, Ohio to receive treatment for a spinal injury she suffered in June
The Cleveland Association of Rescue Employees (CARE) has since clarified that Cleveland Clinic EMS paramedics were not responsible for the incident.
‘CARE is aware of several online articles that are circulating about the personnel who abandoned their patient. We want to clarify it was NOT a Cleveland EMS ambulance, but rather a provider working on a private ambulance,’ a CARE spokesperson wrote in a Facebook statement.
‘Once that provider left, Cleveland EMS responded to the scene, administered care, and transported the patient to the hospital,’ the CARE spokesperson wrote.
A Lynx EMS spokesperson told FOX 8: ‘Patient safety and quality care are of the utmost importance to us and responsibilities we take very seriously.’
‘Upon becoming aware of the situation, immediate steps were taken to address the matter and ensure the patient’s well-being and care needs were addressed,’ a Lynx EMS spokesperson told the outlet.
The spokesperson confirmed to the outlet that the circumstances around the incident are under review as the company decides what appropriate actions should be taken.
They did not release any information on the status of the paramedic who left the ambulance.
‘We remain committed to providing high-quality care and maintaining the trust of our patients, their families, healthcare partners, and the communities we serve,’ the Lynx EMS spokesperson told the outlet.
Tackett-Kuscmaul wrote in a Facebook statement on October 26, only days before she was left stranded in the ambulance: ‘Last 4 days have been roughest of my life there’s reasons I go to Cleveland clinic and Henry Ford!’
Tackett-Kuscmaul told FOX 8 that the overall experience was ‘horrible’ but praised the 911 operator who kept her on the phone the entire time while she was waiting for the Cleveland EMS crew to respond. Source: Facebook/@Lema Tackett
A Lynx EMS spokesperson told FOX 8 that the circumstances around the incident are under review as the company decides what appropriate actions should be taken but did not state the status of the paramedic responsible. Source: Facebook/@Lynx EMS
‘Transferring tomorrow hopefully only reason I ended up here is because 5 hospitals didn’t want the infection spread to their hospital not caring if I got home and die,’ Tackett-Kuscmaul wrote.
Cleveland EMS Deputy Commissioner Chris Chapin told FOX 8 this was the first time he had ever encountered an incident call like this.
‘I’ve been here for 31 years. I’ve never heard of that before. I would hope that our people would never be in a situation where this would happen to them, and if they did want to leave the job they would do it when nobody is in the ambulance,’ Deputy Chapin told the outlet.
Tackett-Kuscmaul told the outlet the overall experience was ‘horrible’ but praised the 911 operator who kept her on the phone the entire time while she was waiting for the Cleveland EMS crew to respond.
She emphasized that everyone who stayed with her until she was securely transferred to the hospital were all ‘wonderful.’
Tackett-Kuscmaul has since released an update on her medical condition to her Facebook followers.
‘Praise God Hallelujah after 33 days in the bed God has given me the precious strength walk I’m so blessed to be at Cleveland Clinic today I love you,’ Tackett-Kuscmaul wrote in a social media statement.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Lema Tackett-Kuscmaul, Cleveland EMS, CARE Local 1975 and Lynx EMS for comments.
