The controversy began when several Sutter Health workers at the Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara appeared to joke about a patient’s bodily fluids in a series of shocking clips.
In the carousel of images, staff were seen fooling around on an exam table and in hospital chairs, behavior that quickly sparked outrage online and drew harsh criticism toward the clinic.
One employee crouched on top of a table with her hands clasped as if in prayer, while another had her leg propped up. Another worker, dressed in blue scrubs, stuck her tongue out for the camera. Several more posed in similar inappropriate ways.
Among the captions written over the photos was the question: “Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?”
The video, posted over Labor Day weekend, spread quickly across the app and outraged viewers who saw it as a serious violation of trust.
The backlash soon spilled over onto Yelp, where angry community members left a flood of one-star reviews. At this point, the clinic has been hit with more than 200 negative reviews tied directly to the viral post.
“I had a doctor’s appointment today, and even though I trust who I was seeing, it was in the back of my mind what Sutter Health had done,” he explained.
With the story spreading fast and many people voicing concerns over patient dignity, Sutter Health stepped in to respond and announced the actions it had taken against the employees involved.
The remaining staff shown in the photos were first placed on administrative leave, but have now been officially terminated.
“Sutter Health has terminated the employees responsible for the inappropriate and insensitive photos posted on social media,” the company stated in a message shared on its official X account on August 4.
“Protecting the trust of those we serve is our highest priority, and when that trust is violated, we take swift action to address it.”
They continued by emphasizing: “We expect all team members to live our patients-first mission and uphold the highest standards of compassion, professionalism and respect.”
Sutter Health operates roughly 200 clinics across northern California, and representatives said the organization was left ‘deeply concerned’ after the offensive video came to light.
They confirmed the clip was a clear violation of their values and standards, and stressed that an internal review was underway.
The post was labeled ‘disrespectful,’ and leaders made it clear that it undermined the professionalism expected of staff members.
They added that the video directly went against the company’s mission to treat patients with dignity and respect.
“The trust and dignity of our patients always remain at the center of everything we do.”
