Case Study: Using Virtual Care to Prevent Workplace Violence 

How Providence St. Peter Hospital and Providence Oregon Improved Caregiver Safety Through Remote Visual Monitoring 

Overview

Workplace violence has become a critical challenge across health systems, affecting caregiver morale, patient safety, and the overall care environment. Providence St. Peter Hospital in Washington and the Providence Oregon region implemented a virtual care monitoring program using AvaSure technology to proactively reduce violent incidents and protect staff and patients. Their experiences demonstrate how virtual engagement, predictive monitoring, and strong interdepartmental collaboration can dramatically improve safety outcomes. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

Challenge

Both regions were seeing increases in: 

• Physical and verbal aggression toward nurses and CNAs 

• Visitors introducing illicit substances or behaving violently 

• Patients harming themselves or attempting to harm caregivers 

• False allegations against staff, creating legal and safety risks 

Traditional approaches—such as staff rounding and signage—offered awareness but not reliable prevention. Violent events were still leading to caregiver injuries and unsafe environments. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

Solution: Remote Visual Monitoring (RVM) with AvaSure 

Providence St. Peter Hospital (Washington) 

• Hub serving four hospitals with 69 devices deployed across large geographic distances. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Virtual safety attendants observe highrisk patients, including those with histories of violence or suicidal ideation. 

• Caregivers are equipped with personal alarms for instantaneous support during escalation. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Nurses are engaged via daily bed huddles to identify patients who need monitoring based on EMR violence flags. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

Providence Oregon RVM Hub 

• Supports eight hospitals (urban + rural) with 100 monitoring devices. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Staffed by five virtual safety attendants and a lead per shift. 

• Utilizes a structured escalation pathway: bedside nurse → charge nurse → house supervisor → RVM manager. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Integrated as a safety witness for staffrelated allegations and patient behavior. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

Key Results

Providence St. Peter Hospital 

• 759 violent events prevented in one year using AvaSure cameras and early detection. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Staff report higher trust, communication, and perception of safety. 

Providence Oregon 

• Multiple critical “saves,” including:  

• Preventing patient assault after a tech witnessed escalating behavior and initiated a Code Gray. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Stopping visitor abuse when a visitor was seen striking a bedbound patient. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Detecting concealed weapons, such as a stethoscope part hidden in a patient’s clothing. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Protecting staff during a bathroom attack, when techs saw nurses running out of the room and immediately called security. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Preventing patient self-harm (e.g., call-light cord strangulation). [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

These cases highlight how remote monitoring enables fast intervention, even when staff cannot directly see risk evolving. 

Culture & Governance Enhancements 

Both regions emphasized: 

• Violence Prevention Committees with nurses, security, and leaders to review events and coordinate improvements. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Regular communication via huddles, newsletters, SharePoint, and site visits to build trust between bedside staff and monitoring techs. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• State compliance: Washington now requires reporting all caregiver injury incidents. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

Lessons Learned

• Empower virtual safety attendants: instruct them to call security even if bedside staff says, “We’re okay.” Better to over-respond than underrespond. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Educate bedside staff on camera limitations (field of view, audio constraints). [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Collaborate with security for dual monitoring, rounding, and rapid intervention. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

• Use analytics to track trends, prove improvement, and justify expansion. [Eyes on Sa…Transcript | Word] 

Conclusion

Providence St. Peter Hospital and Providence Oregon successfully transformed their approach to workplace violence by integrating virtual care monitoring into daily operations. Their experiences show that proactive surveillance, empowered staff, and clear escalation pathways can significantly reduce risk and create safer environments for caregivers and patients alike. 

This case study demonstrates how modern virtual care infrastructure—used thoughtfully—serves as both a protective shield and a tool for continuous care improvement.