Sansum Health Clinic fires employees over “inappropriate and insensitive” TikTok following backlash

Multiple staff members at Sutter Health's Pesetas Urgent Care in Santa Barbara, California, were dismissed after a TikTok video went viral featuring them making fun of what seemed to be patient discharge left behind after pap smears. The action follows notable backlash in the community and on social media.

Sutter Health, as the parent company of Sansum Clinic, acted quickly as soon as the posts were discovered. The organization stated that the individuals were placed on leave within 24 hours of the video appearing publicly and then 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. Protecting the trust of those we serve is our highest priority and when that trust is violated, we take swift action to address it," a spokesperson from Sutter Health told People.

The spokesperson also stated that the case is still an ongoing internal investigation. As part of the process, Sutter Health is supposedly reiterating to staff at all facilities, policies and expectations related to dignity and privacy of patients at the center of care.

Although the original poster was no longer employed when the TikTok made the rounds, the fact that current employees were involved resulted in immediate firings. Sutter Health stated that all employees are expected to practice the "patients-first mission," which is based in compassion, professionalism, and respect.

More details related to the viral video and the public backlash

The video, which has since been deleted, was posted by a former employee using the username @angieuncut. It showed a group of workers gathered around a patient exam chair with visible stains on the disposable paper cover.

The Santa Barbara Independent received screenshots from the video that showed at least six images, including one with a nurse in pink scrubs giving a thumbs up while another staff member bent over and stuck her tongue out near the stain. The images were additionally captioned with "guess the substance" and references to patients leaving "gifts."

Does professionalism not exist anymore pic.twitter.com/MIg91S8lR5

— Washingtons ghost (@washghost1) September 2, 2025

The video spread like wildfire on several platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Reddit much to the dismay of many users online. There were lots of commenters who claimed that the staff violated the patient's right to privacy and had zero respect.

Furthermore, the fallout from the controversy resulted in a wave of bad reviews on Google and Yelp for Sansum Clinic sites, something that clearly signals community discontent. The incident serves as a striking reminder of why professionalism is important in the healthcare industry.