Shodair Children's Hospital halted new admissions after a patient was fatally hit by a vehicle while running from the Helena, Mont.-based facility July 15, reports the Independent Record.
Hospital officials said the 15-year-old patient tampered with the building's fire alarm, which caused the doors to unlock, allowing her to exit the mental health facility. She was struck by a vehicle traveling on a nearby interstate.
Shodair Children's is conducting an internal investigation into the incident. CEO Craig Aasved said the hospital paused inpatient admissions to focus on the well-being of its 71 current patients.
"We're trying to control an environment right now that is pretty tense, pretty stressed," he told the Independent Record July 16. "And [we're] looking out for the people in our care right now without adding any more to that."
The hospital is also working with fire officials to consider alternate placements for fire alarms and notified all appropriate agencies of the patient death.