Keene, New Hampshire — A woman who visited an urgent care clinic for treatment during an asthma attack found herself in a frightening situation after staff members reportedly closed the facility and left without realizing she was still inside.
Tia Chandler was waiting at ConvenientMD in Keene on September 24 for a steroid injection to help manage her asthma symptoms when she discovered that the clinic appeared to be empty. What began as a visit for medical care quickly turned into a desperate attempt to get someone’s attention and find a way out.
Chandler later described the experience to WCVB, explaining how she went from waiting for treatment to panicking after realizing she had been locked inside the building.
Woman Discovers Urgent Care Clinic Is Empty
Chandler said she was waiting for her treatment when she noticed that the staff members seemed to have disappeared.
At first, she thought some employees might still be working in another part of the facility or cleaning the office before closing. She decided to call out to see whether anyone was nearby.
“I pop my head out and said, ‘Hello? Hello?’ And, then I got a little nervous,” Chandler told.
She then went toward the front of the clinic, expecting to find someone who could explain what was happening.
“So, I ran to the front, thinking that there was just a skeleton crew on and that they were, you know, cleaning the office,” she recalled.
However, Chandler said she found nobody in the office. The realization that the facility had been closed while she was still waiting for treatment left her frightened and uncertain about what to do next.
‘They Locked Me In’: Patient Sends Desperate Message
After searching for staff members without success, Chandler began to panic. She reached out to her husband by text message and asked him to get emergency help.
“And so, I went to the office. ‘Hello?’ And, looked around and there’s nobody there, and I kind of panicked a little and texted my husband, ‘They locked me in. Call 911.’ I’m, like, panicking,” Chandler told.
Her message reflected the urgency of the situation as she tried to figure out how to leave the building.
Chandler also attempted to open a door, which triggered the alarm. With no staff members available to assist her, she eventually called police for help.
The incident was especially distressing because she had arrived at the clinic seeking medical attention for asthma symptoms. Instead of receiving treatment and leaving as expected, she found herself dealing with an unexpected emergency.
Woman Calls the Experience Frightening and Bizarre
Chandler said she struggled to believe that something like this could happen at a medical facility.
Pennsylvania Resort Tragedy: Mother Charged After Husband and Toddler Found Dead
“Very shocking. Just like, I can’t believe this just happened to me, because literally when I was thinking in my head, sitting there at 8:10, ‘They would never lock me in there. That’s crazy talk,” she said.
She added: “That only happens in movies or on a show, not in real life.”
Her comments conveyed how unexpected the incident was. Chandler had been waiting for a prescribed treatment and apparently had no reason to believe the clinic would close while she remained inside.
The situation also raised questions about the clinic’s closing procedures and how staff members could leave without confirming that patients had departed.
ConvenientMD Apologizes for the Incident
ConvenientMD acknowledged the incident in a statement and expressed regret over what happened.
“We sincerely regret the incident that occurred on Thursday, Sept. 24, at our urgent care clinic in Keene involving one of our valued patients.
“Clearly, this should never have happened. … We have taken steps to ensure this won’t happen again and we remain committed to providing the Keene area with the high-quality care we have been providing for more than a decade,” the statement continued.
The company said it had taken steps to prevent a similar incident from happening again. However, the statement did not publicly detail the specific changes made to its closing procedures.
Patient Says She May Not Return to the Clinic
The experience has affected Chandler’s willingness to use the facility in the future. When asked whether she would return to ConvenientMD, she replied, “probably not.”
She also noted that she and her family had used the clinic on several occasions in the past.
For Chandler, the incident turned an ordinary visit for medical treatment into an experience she described as shocking and frightening.
The clinic’s apology and stated efforts to prevent a repeat may address some concerns, but the incident highlights the importance of confirming that patients are accounted for before a healthcare facility closes for the night.
What do you think should change to prevent patients from being accidentally locked inside medical facilities? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
