Shodair Children’s Hospital CEO Spends Night as Patient to Better Understand Care Experience
Shodair Children’s Hospital CEO Craig Aasved joins adolescent patients on the residential unit as they work on a craft activity during his overnight stay.
Shodair Children’s Hospital CEO Craig Aasved leans against the doorway of the private room where he stayed overnight on the residential unit to experience life as a patient.
Shodair Children’s Hospital logo, reflecting our mission to heal, help, and inspire hope for children and families across Montana.
Aasved stayed alongside patients, experiencing daily routines and challenges to better understand life on a residential psychiatric unit.
Aasved voluntarily surrendered his personal belongings, followed standard admission procedures, and stayed overnight alongside adolescent patients and clinical staff. He received no special treatment and participated in the same routines, restrictions, and expectations as the patients on the unit. All patients in the hospital have private rooms, a standard practice that supports safety, privacy, and therapeutic care.
“I wanted to experience what it’s like for patients,” Aasved said. “To be checked for contraband, to see what meals are like, even to use the special bendy pencils. I wanted no special treatment.”
The overnight stay occurred only after approval from clinical leadership and multiple conversations with patients. Every adolescent on the unit agreed to have Aasved participate in the experience.
The experience is extremely rare for a hospital CEO and gave patients a chance to interact with Aasved in a new way. Several adolescents eagerly shared their routines, expectations, and even their creative projects, giving him insight into the daily life on the unit.
Shodair leaders say the experience reflects the hospital’s commitment to patient-centered care and values-based leadership.
“Craig is a leader who works to understand the organization from multiple perspectives, including the patient perspective,” said Dr. Tom Hoffman, Shodair’s chief medical officer of psychiatry. “This insight will help guide the organization with patients at the center.”
Staff members said the presence of the CEO sparked excitement and meaningful conversations among patients, who eagerly explained unit rules, daily routines, and expectations. The evening also reinforced the challenges staff manage nightly, particularly as evenings can be difficult for children who have experienced trauma.
“I was so impressed with how the staff handled it,” Aasved said. “They were prepared, calm, and kept the unit therapeutic for everyone.”
Aasved, a Montana native who has worked in health care for more than three decades, said the experience strengthened his appreciation for staff and reinforced the importance of empathy, presence, and perspective in leadership.
By stepping into the role of a patient, Aasved reinforced the hospital’s commitment to patient-centered care and compassionate leadership. The experience will guide future decisions and strengthen the hospital’s focus on empathy, safety, and support for every child it serves.
Read the full article here: https://linktr.ee/shodair_montana
Since 1896, Shodair Children’s Hospital has served Montana's most vulnerable residents, evolving to meet the state’s changing needs. Today, Shodair offers a wide range of services, including acute, residential, and outpatient psychiatric care for children (ages 3–18), an accredited school for those in care, and the state’s only comprehensive medical genetics program, serving individuals of all ages. As Montana’s only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Shodair serves children from all 56 counties, with many patients receiving Medicaid assistance. Shodair is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the mental health and well-being of Montana families.
Kristin Chaney
Shodair Children's Hospital
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