Yes, there have been instances where patients have been accidentally forgotten in exam rooms, although it is quite rare and often the result of human error or miscommunication within a busy medical setting. These situations typically happen when a staff member forgets to check on the patient after a long wait, or when an appointment is overbooked and a doctor or nurse inadvertently overlooks a person.
One well-known case occurred in 2012, when a woman was left alone for several hours in an exam room at a medical facility. The patient, who had been waiting for a follow-up appointment, fell asleep while waiting for the doctor. By the time the staff realized she was still there, it was well after hours, and she was disoriented and upset. The incident was later publicly reported, sparking debates about hospital protocols and patient safety.
In some cases, patients might fall asleep or not call out for attention, which makes it easier for staff to overlook them, especially if they are busy or if there is a lack of communication between the staff about who has been seen or is still waiting.
Healthcare providers take patient safety seriously, and incidents like this often lead to changes in hospital policies to ensure that all patients are accounted for and receive the appropriate care in a timely manner. Many medical facilities have implemented systems such as check-in logs, more thorough patient tracking, and increased staff training to prevent such oversights.