CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — A video circulating on social media is fueling a public debate over the handling of a patient at Adena Regional Medical Center’s emergency department, after footage appearing to show a woman being physically restrained by hospital staff spread across online platforms.
The video’s original poster contended that staff actions were excessive. The Guardian has not independently verified the video or the circumstances surrounding it. According to the post, the incident involved a patient who had been placed on a psychiatric hold — a legal designation in Ohio that permits hospitals to detain individuals involuntarily for mental health evaluation.
Ohio law allows hospitals to physically prevent patients on psychiatric holds, sometimes called pink slips, from leaving the facility.
On June 7, the Ross County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Adena Regional Medical Center’s emergency department after hospital staff contacted authorities regarding the original poster’s online activity. According to a report obtained by the Guardian, deputies were requested to address the situation after multiple threatening messages were allegedly posted on Facebook directed at emergency room staff.
Several hospital employees told the responding deputy that the threatening messages had created a hostile environment for staff, according to the report.
The hospital subsequently notified the sheriff’s office that it would be consulting with its risk and legal departments to evaluate safety measures and security protocols at the facility.
As of this report, the case remains open and ongoing, according to the sheriff’s office.