US Hospital Apologises After Declaring Hundreds Of Patients Dead

In an unusual and alarming incident, hundreds of patients in Maine received letters from a US healthcare system mistakenly informing their families that they had died. The organisation has since issued a public apology, calling the event a technical error linked to an automated notification system.

The healthcare network, MaineHealth, said the letters were sent as part of an estate-notification process that was automatically triggered by an internal software glitch. The letters, dated October 20, were sent to patients and their next of kin, expressing condolences and offering information on how to manage the estate of the “deceased.”

One patient who received such a letter said the experience was deeply distressing. She revealed that although she had undergone routine medical tests, she was in good health and could not understand why she was listed as deceased.

System Glitch Caused False Death Notifications

MaineHealth operates several hospitals in Maine and New Hampshire, including the Maine Medical Center in Portland. The organisation confirmed that no actual patient records were changed and that no personal medical information was compromised during the incident.

“The error was limited to the automated estate-notification process,” a MaineHealth spokesperson said. “We are reviewing our digital systems to ensure this does not happen again.”

Review and Preventive Measures Underway

The healthcare provider recently upgraded its digital records management system, and experts believe the issue stemmed from a coding or automation flaw in the new platform. MaineHealth has since suspended the estate-notification feature while a thorough audit is being conducted.

Although the letters caused confusion and concern among patients and their families, the hospital assured the public that the integrity of its medical records remains intact.

Public Reaction and Response

The bizarre mistake has sparked widespread discussion online, with many calling it a “digital-age nightmare.” Others have questioned the reliability of automation in critical systems like healthcare.

Patients who received the erroneous letters have been contacted directly by the hospital and offered personal apologies. MaineHealth reiterated that patient safety and trust remain its top priorities.

As investigations continue, the organisation has vowed to introduce stronger data verification processes and additional human oversight to prevent similar errors in the future.