I recently had to stay overnight at my primary care medical provider hospital to see if the medical staff could find out why I had a running fever.  After leaving the hospital in better health, a few days later, I realized that my gold necklace was missing.  My necklace is darn hard to put on and take off.  I was near impossible that I lost it.  I realized that it had been stolen.  During those four days in the hospital, a very large number of medical staff came into my room to perform their tasks.  I would have to guess at least 13 different staff at various times day and night.

I will not disclose the name of the hospital because I did an Internet search to see if this also happens in other hospitals and was shocked to find out that it is way more prevalent than most people probably believe.  My dentist was really shocked when I told him this happened to me!

AI Response:  Yes, personal items are stolen from patients in hospitals, although many items are also simply lost or misplaced, particularly due to the high-stress, fast-paced environment of hospitals. Thefts can occur from both staff and visitors, with common items like electronics, wallets, jewelry, and cash being targets. Many incidents of theft go unreported, but statistics and numerous personal accounts show that it is a real problem hospitals face. 

_{Posted October 30,2025}