At Providence Medical Center, our Core Values-Response to Need, Respect, Excellence, Wholeness and Stewardship-call us to work closely with patients and their families to ensure that we provide the best care possible. That means our goal is to include you and your family members as partners in care. In fact, we believe the best health care is the result of an ongoing partnership that includes good communication.

Condition H Empowers Patients and Families to Help

Hospitals nationwide began implementing Condition H, or “Help” after Josie King, a pediatric patient at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, died as the result of a series of medical errors caused by communication breakdowns. Her family’s efforts helped to establish Condition H to improve the quality of communication between families and caregivers, and to provide safeguards for families when they believe a loved one’s health is in jeopardy. Condition H has been implemented at Providence and hospitals across the country as a safety measure. It gives patients and their families a way to have their voices and concerns addressed.

Condition H enables patients and family members to call for help immediately if they feel the patient is not receiving adequate medical attention.

Condition H is modeled on the successful Rapid Response Teams at Providence. These teams are comprised of medical professionals available to rush to a patient’s bedside whenever a nurse or other caregiver feels a patient’s condition is deteriorating or rapidly changing. With Condition H, patients and families can alert the Rapid Response Team themselves. The team will then assess the patient’s situation.

By offering patients and their families the option to call Condition H, Providence encourages you to partner with us in your health care.

When to Call from a patient’s room

1. If a noticeable medical change in the patient occurs (one you would normally call 9-1-1 for at home) and the health care team is not recognizing the concern.
2. If there is a breakdown in how care is being given and/or confusion over what needs to be done for the patient.

How to Call from a patient’s room

1. To activate Condition H, please dial 4-9-1-1 and say “Condition Help. I need the Rapid Response Team.”
2. Give the patient’s name and room number to the operator.
3. The operator will alert a team of medical professionals who will arrive at the patient’s room to assess the situation.