A Grand Ledge woman, Jacqueline Freeman, has come forward with a disturbing account of her experience at Sparrow Urgent Care on Charlevoix Drive, alleging that staff not only refused her medical attention but also called 911 on her. Freeman, a Black resident of Grand Ledge for nearly two decades, believes racial bias played a significant role in the incident that unfolded on a Thursday evening. She sought care for a progressively worsening mosquito bite on her ankle, suspecting an infection, only to be met with locked doors and, ultimately, a police presence instead of medical assistance from Sparrow Urgent Care.
Freeman arrived at Sparrow Urgent Care just before closing time and checked in at the front desk. However, before her 10-year-old son could join her inside from their vehicle, she stated that the staff locked the front doors. When Freeman understandably sought clarification and expressed her concern at the locked door separating her from staff and her child outside, she was met with a 911 call from the urgent care staff. According to Freeman, she was left waiting for half an hour before a police officer informed her she would not be seen by a doctor at Sparrow Urgent Care. She described the entire ordeal as “unacceptable” and expressed her desire for accountability from the Sparrow Urgent Care staff involved in the incident. “Denying medical care to somebody is a really big deal, and it’s inexcusable,” Freeman stated, highlighting the gravity of her experience at Sparrow Urgent Care.
Jane Kobiska, another patient who was present at Sparrow Urgent Care that evening, corroborated Freeman’s account, suggesting that the staff’s treatment of Freeman was unfair. Sparrow Health System spokesperson John Foren acknowledged the complaint on Tuesday afternoon, stating that the health system is currently investigating the incident. “Sparrow Health System is currently investigating the concerns raised by the patient,” Foren said in an email. “The System is committed to providing the highest quality patient care to everyone, every time. Our core mission, vision and values are to always treat all patients and their families with dignity, compassion and respect.” This statement comes as Sparrow Urgent Care faces increasing pressure to address the serious allegations brought forth by Freeman.
The 911 Call and Discrepancies
A recording from Eaton County Central Dispatch reveals a 911 call placed by a Sparrow Urgent Care staff member at 8:08 p.m. The staff member, who only provided her first name, informed the dispatcher that a patient had arrived after closing, accused them of locking her son out, and was being disruptive, including “banging on our glass.” However, a particularly concerning aspect of the 911 call is the dispatcher’s question about Freeman’s race – “Is he white, black, Hispanic?” – followed by the staff member’s hesitant and ambiguous response: “Um, I’m not sure. Is she white, black, Hispanic? Is she Hispanic or black? Something. I don’t know.” This exchange raises questions about potential racial profiling and whether Freeman’s race influenced the staff’s perception and response to the situation at Sparrow Urgent Care.
The staff member further stated that Freeman was in the waiting area and refusing to leave. Contradicting this, Freeman asserted that she was never asked to leave by any of the three white staff members at the front desk of Sparrow Urgent Care. “No one had told me to leave,” Freeman explained. “No one spoke to me, not a doctor, no one at all.” While Freeman’s husband retrieved their son from the parking lot, Freeman remained inside, expecting to receive medical attention at Sparrow Urgent Care. It was another patient, Kobiska, who informed Freeman that the staff had called 911, adding to the confusion and distress of the situation.
Kobiska, a white patient, expressed her shock at the staff’s decision to call the police. “I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, for what?’” she recounted. Kobiska witnessed a staff member make what she described as a “very unprofessional” remark to Freeman, implying Freeman should not have left her son outside. Despite Freeman informing the staff that her son was indeed outside and needed to come in, Kobiska stated that the staff did not immediately unlock the doors. Kobiska empathized with Freeman’s reaction, stating, “As a frustrated parent it’s totally understandable. Her child was outside.” Freeman explained that she knocked on the glass door to address the staff member’s comment, which she found “very insulting, and highly inappropriate,” before returning to her seat in the waiting room of Sparrow Urgent Care.
Later that evening, seeking medical attention elsewhere, Freeman visited Lansing Urgent Care in Frandor, a facility not affiliated with Sparrow Health System. There, she was promptly diagnosed with a staph infection and received treatment. Freeman reiterates her disappointment and questions the justification for being denied care and having 911 called on her at Sparrow Urgent Care in Grand Ledge.
Patient Complaint and Ongoing Investigation
Following the incident at Sparrow Urgent Care, Freeman contacted the Grand Ledge Police Department to request a police report. She was informed that no written report was filed. A State Journal reporter also reached out to the Grand Ledge police officer involved but has not received a response. Freeman proceeded to file a formal patient complaint with Sparrow Health System on Friday and received an acknowledgment that it was being escalated to the company’s “leadership team.” As of Tuesday morning, Freeman stated that she had not received any further contact from the hospital regarding her complaint against Sparrow Urgent Care.
“I fundamentally knew that this was not handled appropriately and that it was not justified to call the police,” Freeman stated, emphasizing her belief that the situation at Sparrow Urgent Care was mishandled. She further questioned the disproportionate response, “Calling the police on me for complaining about customer service, a staff person who insulted me after I had respectfully confronted her on her behavior, it did not warrant a police call. You have to wonder does that fit within the larger narrative of the criminalization of black and brown people for behavior that doesn’t warrant a police call?” Freeman’s experience at Sparrow Urgent Care raises serious questions about patient care, staff conduct, and potential racial bias within the healthcare system, prompting an ongoing investigation and community concern.
Contact Rachel Greco at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @GrecoatLSJ.
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