Tessa Quinn
If you are looking for a missing person, you can call around hospitals in their area and ask if they are a patient. Legally, hospitals can only verify if someone is currently a patient, so you should be prepared to provide the name and date of birth of the person you are looking for. It is also recommended to bring photo ID and any other proof of your relationship with the missing person when visiting a hospital in person. Additionally, you can file a report with your local police and utilize online tools such as the Emergency Patient Look-Up System (E-PLUS) in Florida to search for missing persons.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legally allowed information | Verification of whether someone is currently a patient in the hospital |
| Required information | Name, date of birth, and consent of the patient |
| Accessible information | Medical histories, allergies, medications, vitals, image records |
| Other methods | Reaching out to the missing person's contacts, accessing their phone, or calling their bank |
| Software solutions | E-PLUS, a HIPAA-compliant cloud-based software, enables access to medication and clinical histories and supports missing person searches |
| Data sources | Health care facilities report data to the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), Florida Center for Health Information and Transparency |
What You'll Learn
Call the hospital and ask
If you are concerned about a missing loved one, calling local hospitals is a good step to take. Here is a guide on how to find someone in a hospital by calling:
Contact the hospital directly
Call the hospital's main phone number and ask to speak with the patient inquiry or patient information department. Provide the person's full name and any additional information you may have, such as their date of birth or address. The hospital staff will inform you if the person is admitted and may provide relevant information about their condition and visiting policies.
Check online patient portals
Some hospitals offer online patient portals, allowing authorized individuals such as family members or designated contacts to access patient information. If you have been granted access to the person's online patient portal, you can log in and check their current status or any updates.
Contact local emergency services
If the person was admitted to the hospital through emergency services or an ambulance, you can contact the local emergency services provider or non-emergency number to inquire about their transport and the destination hospital.
Create a list of nearby hospitals
Make a list of hospitals near you and the missing person's last known location. Include hospitals near their workplace and their route to work.
Call each hospital
When calling, ask to speak with a head nurse or admitting personnel. Explain that you are looking for a missing friend or family member and are checking hospitals for admissions. Provide the person's name and date of birth, and any other relevant information.
Visit hospitals with unidentified patients
If the missing person cannot be located through phone calls, visit hospitals with unidentified patients of the same gender as the missing person and show staff a recent photograph. If someone resembling the photo has been admitted, hospital staff will assist you further.
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Go to the police
If you are concerned about someone's whereabouts and suspect they may be in hospital, one course of action is to go to the police. This is particularly relevant if the person is a vulnerable family member or friend who may have been hospitalised due to a mental health crisis or an accident.
Firstly, you can try calling your local police department to ask for a welfare check. They may be able to provide a general update on whether the person has been located or admitted to a hospital. However, due to HIPAA laws, the police may not be able to disclose specific information.
If the person you are looking for has gone missing, it is recommended to file a missing person report with the police. This creates a paper trail and increases the chances of finding the person promptly. When filing a report, bring a photograph of the person, and any other relevant details, such as their date of birth.
In some cases, the police may check hospitals as part of their search for a missing person. Additionally, mobile crisis teams, which include health professionals, sometimes work with police departments to respond to mental health crises. If your city has such a team, they can come to your house, assess the situation, and help get your family member to the hospital if needed.
Remember, seeing the police can be scary for some people, especially those with mental health issues. Therefore, whenever possible, consider involving support systems with mental health expertise, such as mobile crisis teams or inpatient mental health hospitals.
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Check their phone
If you have access to their phone, you can try to use their social apps to see if there is any hint about their location. You can also try to call the hospitals in the area and ask if they are a patient there. Legally, hospitals can only verify if someone is currently a patient, so it is important to provide the person's name and date of birth. The switchboard may be able to answer your query or transfer you to the ER directly. If you are a parent or guardian of someone under 18, you will generally have access to medical records and input in treatment decisions.
If you are in the US, you can also make a report with your local police, and they may check hospitals. Hospitals must abide by privacy concerns outlined in the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). However, covered entities are permitted under HIPAA to notify or assist family members, personal representatives, or other persons responsible for a patient's care about their location and general condition. HIPAA also permits providers to maintain directories with general information about patients, including their name, location in the facility, and general health condition.
If you have identified the hospital, you can contact the hospital's social media pages for more information, although not all hospitals have an active social media presence or are able to provide personal information about patients. You can also search the hospital's website for a patient directory, although not all hospitals have patient directories available online or may restrict the information they can provide due to patient privacy concerns.
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Call their bank
If you are concerned about someone's whereabouts and suspect they might be in the hospital, there are several steps you can take to try and locate them. While hospitals are restricted by patient privacy laws, they can often confirm whether an individual is currently admitted.
One approach is to "Call their bank". Here is a step-by-step guide on how to do this:
- Contact the Person's Bank: Start by locating the phone number for the missing person's bank, which you can usually find on their website or through a simple online search.
- Explain the Situation: When you call the bank, be prepared to explain the situation and express your concern for the individual's well-being. Inform them that you are trying to locate the person and ask if they have any information that could assist you.
- Provide Necessary Details: The bank representative may ask you for specific details about the person you are trying to find. Be prepared to provide information such as the person's full name, date of birth, address, and your relationship to them.
- Request Transaction Information: Ask the bank representative to review the person's recent transactions. Look for any purchases or ATM withdrawals that could indicate their location, particularly if they are near any hospitals.
- Inquire About Unusual Activity: Request information about any unusual or unexpected transactions. Sometimes, a person's spending patterns can provide clues about their whereabouts or any potential issues they may be facing.
- Verify the Person's Safety: If the bank representative can confirm that the person has made recent transactions, this may provide some reassurance that they are safe and active. However, it does not necessarily indicate their location or whether they are hospitalized.
- Follow Up as Needed: Depending on the information obtained, you may need to take additional steps. Consider contacting the person's credit card company or other financial institutions they may have accounts with to gather more information.
- Combine with Other Strategies: Calling the bank is just one approach. Consider combining it with other methods, such as contacting local hospitals, police stations, or the person's family and friends, to increase your chances of locating them.
Remember that while calling the person's bank may provide useful information, it might not directly confirm whether they are in a hospital. Nevertheless, it can be a valuable step in your overall search strategy. Always act promptly if you suspect someone is missing or in danger, and consider involving the appropriate authorities if necessary.
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Go to the hospital in person
If you are looking for someone who is missing or whose whereabouts are unknown, going to hospitals in person can be a viable option. Here are some steps you can take:
Identify the Hospitals to Visit
Firstly, identify the hospitals that you are likely to visit. If you know the person's last known location, you can search for hospitals in that area. You can use Google Maps to find a list of hospitals near their workplace or location. If the person has a specific medical condition, you can also search for specialised hospitals, such as "mental hospitals around South Carolina."
Gather Information about the Person
Before visiting the hospitals, gather as much information about the person as possible. This includes their name, physical features, photographs, and the day and time you last saw or heard from them. You may also need to provide their date of birth and any other identifying information. Additionally, bring some form of photo identification for yourself to prove your relationship with the person you are searching for.
Visit the Hospitals
When visiting the hospitals, start by going to the front desk and providing them with the information you have gathered. They may direct you to a specific unit or department. Be polite and respectful to the hospital staff, as they deal with privacy concerns and "unwanted" visitors regularly. Understand that hospitals must abide by privacy laws and may not be able to disclose certain information without the patient's consent.
Follow Up with Other Methods
If you are unable to find the person at the hospitals you visit, don't hesitate to try other methods. You can call the hospitals to inquire about the patient, use online tools like Radaris to search for them, or reach out to the person's relatives or close friends, who may have more information about their whereabouts.
Remember, visiting a patient in the hospital can be emotionally challenging. If you do find the person you are looking for, be mindful of their privacy and comfort, and follow any visitor guidelines the hospital may have.
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Frequently asked questions
Call the hospitals in your area and ask if the person is a patient. Legally, hospitals can only verify if someone is currently admitted. Provide the patient's name and date of birth.
Call the hospital's switchboard and ask, or go to the hospital and speak to the front desk. They may direct you to the unit. Take photo ID and anything else that proves your relationship with the patient.
File a report with your local police, not the state police. They may check hospitals for you. You could also try calling the person's bank to track purchases.
Hospitals usually do not disclose patient identities unless the patient consents. However, you can still call or visit the hospital and ask them to pass on a message.
