Roof rat concerns force closure of Washington hospital's kitchen, cafeteria

Patients’ food was being prepared and brought in from another hospital


Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Wash., closed its kitchen and cafeteria after finding evidence of rodents, according to an article on The Olympian website.

The kitchen closed on a Friday night and remained closed Monday as pest control efforts continued in and around the kitchen. 

Patients’ food was being prepared and brought in from Providence Centralia Hospital, while a sign at the cafeteria entrance directed people to the first-floor Starbucks.

The rodents in this case are roof rats. The roof rat population in the area has grown significantly over the past decade, with local pest control companies reporting the rats are now customers’ top complaint.

Read the article.



August 6, 2019


Topic Area: Infection Control


Recent Posts

Mature Dry Surface Biofilm Presents a Problem for Candida Auris

Multiple methods are described in the literature, but no consensus has been reached for disinfection efficacy tests against biofilms.


Sutter Health's Arden Care Center Officially Opens

With an adaptive reuse of an underutilized office building, the 70,000 square-foot facility was renovated to meet current healthcare standards.


Insight Hospital and Medical Center Falls to Data Breach

The investigation determined that an unauthorized individual accessed the network between August 22, 2025, and September 11, 2025.


The High Cost of Healthcare Violence

As workplace violence increases, healthcare facilities face mounting financial and operational disruptions- prompting legislative action.


EVS Teams Can Improve Patient Experience in Emergency Departments

A report confirmed that cleanliness of the ED was the third most impactful element on patient experience surveys.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.