Parkview Care Center: Resident Abandoned in Cold Rain - MT
BILLINGS, MT - Parkview Care Center faces immediate jeopardy citations after staff repeatedly denied entry to a frail cancer patient who sat outside the facility for approximately four hours in 46-degree weather and rain, despite administrative orders to allow him inside.
The June 6, 2024 inspection revealed that facility staff turned away the vulnerable resident twice during one overnight shift on May 23, 2024, even after receiving clear instructions from administration at 1:14 a.m. to "let him rest at the facility for the night." The incident occurred when the resident returned from the hospital via taxi after leaving against medical advice.
Critical Breakdown in Communication and Judgment
The cascade of failures began when the resident left the hospital against medical advice around midnight on May 23, 2024. Hospital staff contacted Parkview Care Center to notify them that the resident was returning by taxi. When the cab arrived at approximately 12:15 a.m., night shift staff refused entry and instructed the driver to take the resident back to the hospital.
The facility had clear authority to readmit the resident. Medical records show the facility maintained a signed bed hold agreement dated May 21, 2024, and the resident's discharge was coded as "unplanned" with "return anticipated." Despite this documentation and explicit administrative permission to allow entry, staff continued to deny access.
The night supervisor explained her reasoning: "I didn't have any orders or anything, was to let him go back to the ER because that's where he needed to be because he was sick." However, this decision directly contradicted the administrative directive received 45 minutes later instructing staff to allow the resident inside.
Medical professionals emphasize that nursing facilities routinely manage residents with complex medical needs and are equipped to provide appropriate care while awaiting physician orders. The presence of a valid bed hold agreement specifically indicates the facility's commitment to maintain the resident's place and provide continued care.
Dangerous Exposure to Elements
Police body camera footage documented the resident's deteriorated condition after hours of exposure. The 46-degree temperature, combined with 93% humidity and rain, created particularly dangerous conditions for an elderly person with compromised health.
Officers observed the resident "wearing a lightweight button-up shirt with T-shirt underneath, and lightweight pants" while "in the rain and his clothes were wet." The footage showed him "attempting to protect his face and head from the rain and cold with his shirt collar" and "grimacing in obvious discomfort and was having difficulty breathing."
Extended exposure to cold, wet conditions poses severe risks for elderly individuals. Hypothermia can develop when body temperature drops even slightly below normal, and older adults are particularly vulnerable due to decreased ability to regulate body temperature. The combination of wet clothing, wind, and cool temperatures accelerates heat loss and increases the risk of respiratory complications.
The resident's weakened state made the exposure even more dangerous. A facility staff member later observed: "he just found out he had cancer and was so weak... I don't even know how he got into his truck, because he was that weak." This level of frailty, combined with environmental exposure, created conditions that could have resulted in serious medical complications or death.
Staff Indifference Despite Clear Identification
Perhaps most troubling was staff behavior after learning the person outside was their resident. When a newspaper delivery person approached staff around 4:15 a.m., requesting help for an elderly man on the facility's bench, staff initially claimed ignorance of his identity. However, multiple witnesses confirmed staff knew exactly who was outside.
One aide recalled: "The police showed up and it was a woman cop, and when she came in she said that [the resident] said he was a resident there and that his name was [resident name]. At that point, we were all shocked because we had believed that he was back at the hospital."
Police body camera footage revealed the extent of staff indifference. When officers confirmed the resident's identity and room number, no facility staff expressed concern for his health or well-being, and no staff member went outside to assess or assist him. Instead, staff continued to insist he "doesn't stay here so it's not our deal" and "we're not going to help him."
A police officer noted the staff's dismissive responses: "They were incredibly rude. Not even one person there was surprised or concerned at all about the resident after being told he was out there."
Data source: This article is based on inspection data downloaded directly from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via Medicare.gov. CMS releases inspection reports in bulk; we publish the findings as documented by state surveyors in the official Form CMS-2567 Statement of Deficiencies.
Plan of correction: The CMS report we receive does not include the facility's plan of correction. Facilities submit plans of correction separately to state survey agencies and those responses may not be reflected in CMS data at the time of publication. The absence of a plan of correction in our data does not mean one was not filed. Readers who want information about corrective steps taken are encouraged to contact the facility directly or their state survey agency.
Corrections may have occurred: Inspection reports reflect conditions observed on the date of the survey. Facilities may have implemented corrections, staffing changes, additional training, or other remediation since the report was issued. We report what CMS provides and encourage readers to seek current information from the facility.
Editorial process: Inspection findings are extracted from CMS source documents and synthesized using AI, reviewed for factual accuracy against the original report by our editorial team.
Professional review: All content reviewed by Christopher F. Nesbitt, Sr., NH EMT & BU-trained Paralegal.
Last verified: September 19, 2026 · Our methodology
BILLINGS REHABILITATION AND NURSING LLC in BILLINGS, MT was cited for violations during a health inspection on June 6, 2024.
Hospital staff contacted Parkview Care Center to notify them that the resident was returning by taxi.
Health inspections identify deficiencies that facilities must correct. Violations range from minor documentation issues to serious safety concerns. Review the full report below for specific details and facility response.