The Montreal General Hospital reports more violent incidents involving patients and visitors than any other acute-care hospital in Quebec, yet it has much less security than comparable healthcare facilities, according to an article on the Montreal Gazette website.
That is still the case even after the Montreal General boosted security following the near-strangulation of a nurse by a patient in September.
Security at the downtown hospital is so lax, say staff members, that homeless people have often been found sleeping in empty rooms.
The Montreal General reported 1,923 Code White disturbances in 2016, far higher than any other hospital in the province. Hospitals declare a Code White through the intercom system when a patient or visitor becomes extremely agitated or violent.