Raymond Grady, president and CEO of Franciscan Health, said doctors and nurses lost their jobs and the hospital issued a public apology.
Pregnant woman discharged from hospital minutes before giving birth
A hospital discharged a pregnant woman who was in advanced labor minutes before giving birth, but her family was left questioning the medical decision.
Alena Wells could have entered this world surrounded by family and medical professionals.
Instead, she was born Nov. 16 in the front seat of a Chevrolet Silverado as her father, Leon Wells, rushed her from one Indiana hospital to another.
Wells was driving away from Franciscan Health Crown Point. The hospital said his wife was discharged while she was in active labor. My mother-in-law was surprised and photographed the exit.
Raymond Grady, president and CEO of Franciscan Health, confirmed that Alena’s mother, Mercedes, was discharged from the hospital shortly before giving birth. Grady said doctors and nurses have lost their jobs. The hospital issued a public apology. And Grady promised policy changes and cultural competency training for all workers and delivery staff.
Leon Wells, 43, of Dalton, a Chicago suburb, told USA TODAY on Nov. 22 that he felt “no concern or empathy.” “I had no concern for my wife as a human being.”
Alena is Mercedes Wells’ fourth child. Her birth has sparked an advocacy movement over the disparate health outcomes for black women and their babies.
“We did not listen to Mrs. Wells’ concerns,” Grady said in a Nov. 21 statement. “As an experienced mother who has previously given birth at our hospital and publicly admitted that she had a good experience, she knew something was wrong.”
Franciscan Health spokeswoman Lori Keagle declined further comment to USA TODAY.
Mom knew she was in labor.
The family arrived around midnight on Nov. 16 while Leon Wells, an investor and pet business owner, was on a business trip. Alena was due to give birth on November 29, but Leon Wells brought her in because he was afraid to leave his wife, a pregnant housewife, alone.
On the night of November 15th, they learned she had started labor. They found the nearest hospital, Francisco Hospital. As the couple, who hail from the same Illinois community as Pope Leo Leon Wells said the contractions shortened from 30 minutes to 15 minutes and increased as he drove.
Leon Wells said Mercedes Wells had called before arriving, but had to wait 10 minutes to be seen by medical staff before being taken to the delivery room’s triage room. About 15 minutes after arriving at the hospital, Mercedes Wells said her water broke while she was in the bathroom. The contractions continued to increase. Leon Wells said his family never saw a doctor.
Leon Wells doesn’t understand why his wife was discharged at 6 a.m., and the hospital hasn’t given any public explanation.
He knows that Mercedes Wells had no doubt that she was in labor.
“My wife is like, ‘No, I’m in labor. This is my fourth child. I know I’m in active labor. I know this baby is coming soon,'” Leon Wells said.
forced to deliver to another location
Leon Wells said he was met by security on the first floor. Another video showed Mercedes Well rolling outdoors in temperatures in the 30s, according to local National Weather Service readings. They asked them to wait inside while Leon Wells went to get the truck.
Leon Wells said his diesel truck takes a long time to warm up. After taking her to the front of the hospital, they headed to another hospital, Community Hospital, in Munster, Indiana.
“Of course I wanted to be upset, but I couldn’t,” Leon Wells said. “I know I had a bigger mission here, and I didn’t want my anger or upset to get in the way of my wife’s successful birth.”
After six minutes of driving, Leon Wells said his wife told him she needed to push. He called 911 but couldn’t wait for an ambulance. She asked him to pull down his pants while she was driving. He looked down and saw the baby’s head.
He helped her remove the baby without gloves. Alena was born at 6:28am. Blankets were prepared in preparation for the birth, and the video showed Alena wrapped and pale.
Eventually, they arrived at a local hospital, where they stayed for two nights. The Wells family is currently at home.
Aiming to improve maternal health outcomes for Black people
The Wellses are seeking changes to hospital policies and procedures to prevent this from happening to other families.
“Everyone should be treated fairly,” Leon Wells said. “Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness. And if you see something, say something.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of women die each year during childbirth or within weeks after giving birth. As USA TODAY reported, Black women are far more likely to die, with maternal mortality rates three times higher than white women and other women.
Grady, Franciscan’s president and CEO, said the hospital requires cultural competency training for all workers and delivery staff. It added that doctors must test all pregnant patients before discharge.
The Wells family plans to meet with their local lawmaker, Rep. Robin Kelly (D-Ill.), in the coming days. Kelly is chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Brain Trust and plans to introduce new legislation to prevent similar situations surrounding patient discharges.
“Too many women have experienced this trauma and pain, and some have tragically lost their lives,” Kelly said in a statement. “It’s clear this is a systemic problem and we cannot continue to allow this to happen.”
After his wife gave birth, Leon Wells remembered driving while holding his wife and baby to his chest. He ran the green light five times on his way to the hospital.
They then looked up the name Alena, he said. Its origin is Greek and means “bright.”
Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Contact us via email (emcuevas1@usatoday.com) or Signal (emcuevas.01).
