Vallejo Man Dies After 8-Hour Wait in ER

VALLEJO, CA (July 13, 2024) — Francisco Delgadillo, 53, died after spending over eight hours waiting for treatment at Kaiser Vallejo’s emergency room. He arrived in December with severe chest pain but was not reassessed despite escalating distress.

 

Delgadillo’s family repeatedly urged staff to re-evaluate his condition as his pain increased from level 7 to 10. His son, Ulysses, described the harrowing scene to news agencies: “He was holding tight on his shirt where his heart was… struggling to sit, laying down on the floor.”

 

Investigations by state and federal authorities into the Kaiser Vallejo ER death revealed multiple deficiencies at Kaiser Vallejo’s ER, including inadequate staffing and failure to reassess patients. Emergency room nurses had previously raised concerns about chronic understaffing, even circulating a petition days before Delgadillo’s death.

 

Kaiser Permanente expressed condolences and outlined improvements in staffing and procedures but did not provide specific staffing figures.