Washington hospital works to improve safety after patient's death

The patient ran from the facility after tampering with a fire alarm


Shodair Children's Hospital in Helena, Wash., is implementing safety improvements after one of its patients was struck and killed by a vehicle earlier this month, according to an article on the Independent Record website. 

The mental health hospital voluntarily ceased admissions for one week beginning July 15, when a 15-year-old patient from Missoula was fatally struck by a pickup truck on Interstate 15. 

The patient ran from the facility after tampering with a fire alarm, which caused the doors to unlock. 

The hospital decided to move the fire alarms to nurse’s stations after visiting with Helena’s fire marshal last week.

Read the article.



August 6, 2019


Topic Area: Safety


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.