Clinic Employees Fired After Viral TikTok at Sansum Clinic

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Sept. 5 - Sutter Health has terminated multiple urgent care staff at its Sansum Clinic following a viral TikTok showing employees mockingly posing with patients’ bodily fluid stains on exam tables.

The viral video, originally posted over Labor Day weekend by a former employee of the Pesetas Urgent Care location, prompted an immediate review and swift disciplinary action by Sutter Health.

Nut Graf

The incident underscores growing concerns over patient dignity and privacy in healthcare settings. Public outrage erupted across social media and review platforms, pushing Sutter Health to reinforce its social media and professional conduct policies.

Video Sparks Outrage and Investigation

  • A former employee’s TikTok slideshow featured staff pointing at wet spots on exam chairs, captioned “Guess the substance” and “Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?”
  • The video spread on TikTok, Instagram and Reddit, drawing condemnation from patients and advocates who called the behavior “dehumanizing” and “unethical.”

Rapid Response by Sutter Health

  • Sansum Clinic officials placed the staff shown in the video on administrative leave within 24 hours of learning about the post; all involved were subsequently terminated.
  • “This unacceptable behavior is an outright violation of our policies, shows a lack of respect for our patients and will not be tolerated,” a Sutter Health spokesperson said.

Broader Repercussions

  • Negative comments and one-star reviews flooded the clinic’s Yelp, Google and social media pages following the incident.
  • Sutter Health announced plans to hold organization-wide refresher training on patient privacy, professional conduct and social media guidelines.

Next Steps for Sansum Clinic

Sansum Clinic, part of the Sutter Health network since 2023, will conduct further internal audits to ensure compliance with its patient-first mission. The organization reiterated its commitment to “high-quality, compassionate care” and said it will use this episode to strengthen oversight of team members’ conduct.