Harris on hospital mix-up: 'It’s still affecting me'

For a few hours on March 8, Betty Harris was living a nightmare scenario.

According to a report from Houston NBC affiliate KPRC, she received a phone call from Memorial Hermann Hospital in Humble that no spouse wants to get.

KPRC reported that a hospital representative told Betty that her husband, Bryant, was dead. She recalled being confused and devastated since she had just placed Bryant at the Deerbrook Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center to recover from a knee operation.

"It’s still affecting me," Betty told the station. "Every now and then, I think about it.”

Understandably, Betty experienced a whirlwind of emotions. 

"I’m falling down, fumbling around and stuff,” Betty told KPRC. 

She then composed herself and contacted relatives, as well as her best friend.

Cheryl Baker told KPRC that she tried her best to calm Betty down.

“I just said ‘Hey! Catch your breath,’ then she said ‘Bryant is dead!’” Baker said, the station reported.

According to KPRC, Betty went to Memorial Hermann to identify the body. 

She then received the biggest shock of her life when she saw that a corpse shown to her wasn't Bryant's. 

The station reported that Betty would learn that a worker at the Deerbrook facility handed off her husband's information while transporting another male resident to the hospital.

As for Bryant himself, he's continuing his recovery from home.

Consequently, he and Betty demand accountability from both Deerbrook and Memorial Hermann, KRPC reported. 

While Memorial Hermann didn't comment on the mix-up citing patient privacy laws, according to the station, Deerbrook issued a statement saying it highly prioritizes the health and safety of its patients.

"Regrettably, our team transferred a patient to the hospital with incorrect identifying paperwork," the rehabilitation center said in the statement. "We have communicated with the hospital and families involved to address this situation and are truly sorry for our mistake.”