SPOKANE, Wash. — The Washington State Department of Health opened an investigation into Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane after a 12-year-old who was under psychiatric care at the hospital escaped her room and died by suicide in April. The state found the hospital has endangered at least 3 other suicidal patients and violated state health, safety and quality regulations.
Investigators with the department reviewed the hospital’s policies and procedures in place to care for suicidal patients, medical records of patients and conducted interviews with staff at the hospital. The state ultimately found that the hospital “failed to develop and implement effective policies and procedures for caring for 4 of 8 patients who were identified to have suicidal ideation.”
Washington law requires that hospitals create detailed policies based on state guidance to keep all patients safe. Sacred Heart’s safety policies for suicidal patients include things like a suicide severity screening tool, different levels of observation and how to manage decreasing a patient’s monitoring…