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Archive 2011: |
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10.10.11 |
Any security professional that has worked in the healthcare environment for the first time, especially hospitals, quickly realizes the uniqueness of this environment. The security challenges of providing adequate security to a hospital, whether large or small, whether urban or rural, are unlike any other environment. Because most patients are totally reliant on the hospital for their person safety and security, the reasonable standard of care for adequacy is very high. Add to that reality that most hospitals are, intentionally, very accessible faculties; the challenge becomes even more daunting. The question becomes: How do we maintain a warm and welcoming milieu and at the same time, provide adequate and sufficient security for patients, visitor and staff.... |
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07.12.11 |
The challenges of maintaining a secure hospital are unlike almost any other industry. Most hospitals have relatively easy access because they want to maintain a welcoming environment. At the same time hospitals are responsible for maintaining a safe environment for staff and visitors, and most of all a safe environment for patients. Maintaining sufficient security while at the same time providing a welcoming environment is one of the reasons why hospital security programs require a very unique expertise.... |
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05.10.11 |
When one thinks about hospital security programs, ID badges, security officers and cameras come to mind. Yet, based on our experiences, physical security breaches are seldom the proximate cause of criminal victimization. Physical security remedies, such as lighting, access control and the application of CPTED principals all important and should not be ignored, but absent staff involvement, these methods can be rendered impotent. Whether intended or not, most hospitals are not difficult to breech.... |
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02.02.11 |
Given the number of active shooter incidents over the past ten to fifteen years, as well as the upward trending of these incidents, awareness for security professionals is prudent. The N.Y.P.D. study and the Homeland Security document attached hereto provide useful information. If one adheres to the belief that history is prologue, familiarity and preparation for these kind of incidents seems like a worthy objective.... |
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Archive 2010: |
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08.09.10 |
Over the past three or four years, Security Management Services International, Inc. has been using
a Likert style Security Questionnaire as one of many tools we have developed. We generally use this
questionnaire as a precursor to providing our clients with a complete security assessment. Over these
past few years we have recorded responses from thousands of respondents spanning a cross section of
regional hospitals. The security questionnaire is posted online with a unique username and password
for each client. The respondents are all afforded anonymity. Respondents are also invited to make any
comments they wish. Clearly this questionnaire measures perception and hopefully reality.... |
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07.15.10 |
The State of California is now requiring that hospitals conform to minimal security standards by
laying out required guidelines. This law is confined to the State of California, but it has national
implications. Over time these guidelines will begin to establish a universal standard of care
which will in turn affect premises liability claims. Additionally, it is just a matter of time before
these standards begin to appear in Environment of Care Standards required by JCAHO.... |
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Archive 2009: |
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11.22.09 |
Security Management Services International, Inc. (SMSI) has conducted numerous security assessments
and consultations over the last 20+ years. Whether the assessment involves a manufacturing operation, a
shopping center or a hospital, there is a period of time, during the initial phase of the consultation that is
spent getting the lay of the land. This means trying to understanding the security history of each client,
the primary mission of the organization and the ambient crime environment. The consultant also needs to
understand the organizational milieu.... |
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11.14.09 |
After 30+ years as a security practitioner and after having reviewed hundreds of security and loss prevention programs, I find a great deal of disparity in the quality of those programs from marginal to excellent. As both a security consultant and as a forensic security expert, I am often puzzled as to how the security program evolved to the point it is at when I find it. In some cases it is apparent that the evolution has been the result of a logical linear process. In other cases the process seems less clear and it often appears that the program has been generally crisis management driven.... |
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04.23.09 |
The most common response to an adverse security event in a healthcare setting is: "We never thought it would happen here." That is what the folks in Carthage, N.C. probably thought as they try to unravel the mystery of why a 45-year-old painter tore through a North Carolina nursing home on a terrifying rampage that left eight dead; a slaughter halted by a single shot fired by a decorated police officer responding alone to a 911 call. Other shootings in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, all within a two week time frame, demonstrate the possible relationship between tough economic times and acts of violence. Recently a baby was abducted from a hospital in Santa Barbara, California. Even though the baby was recovered within three hours both the hospital and the parents of the child were traumatized. Most likely the mother/baby unit of this hospital thought their security program was sufficient and that it "would never happen here." On April 16th a Long Beach, California hospital pharmacy employee went on a shooting spree killing two before turning the weapon on himself ending his life.... |
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04.17.09 |
Security Management Services International, Inc. (www.smsiinc.com) is offering a unique and innovative approach to cost-effective security management. The security challenges facing enterprises in today’s economic environment can be daunting. The nature of these security challenges ranges from the threats posed by a wide range of criminal enterprise on one hand and on the other hand finding the means to address these challenges with limited and scarce resources. Security programs are asked to cut back, even as threats and risks are on the rise. Tough economic times also produce a whole new set of security concerns. This means that Security Programs must be more effective and more sophisticated while at the same time operating on tighter budgets. Security Programs must therefore be specifically targeted to meet the unique needs of the organizations they serve and this mission must accomplished efficiently with cost effectiveness.... |
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Archive 2008: |
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05.22.08 |
The Joint Commission’s proposal to combine the disciplines of Safety and Security within a consolidated Environment of Care Standard is clearly a mistake that is fraught with potential unintended consequences. Here is the proposal: Current EC.2.10 (managing security risks) has been consolidated with current EC.1.10 (managing safety risks) into revised EC.2.01.0 (managing safety and security risks). The field has indicated that because the safety and security requirements are closely related, it would be appropriate to consolidate both sets of requirements under one standard.... |
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04.01.08 |
Within the span of one 24-hour period three are shot and killed at Doctor’s Hospital in Columbus, GA and a one day old infant is abducted from a Regional Hospital in Sanford, FL. There is a high likelihood that these two incidents will spark copycat incidents over the next few weeks. Just look at the shooting incidents that came in the wake of the Omaha Mall shootings. At this point it is too early to affix blame to anyone other than the perpetrators. We do not know if these hospitals did or did not have adequate security programs. That will all be sorted out over the next few years.... |
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03.26.08 |
Hospitals have long understood the advantages of outsourcing management at the departmental level. Hospitals outsource the management of Emergency Departments, Housekeeping, Food Service, Materials Management and Facilities.... |
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Archive 2007: |
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07.28.07 |
Hospitals are loaded with consumable goods one could use around the home. Those goods include toner and paper for your home computer, food products, medications (controlled and over-the-counter), and linen products, just to name a few. There are also many big ticket items also. These items include medical equipment (endoscopy equipment and portable electro cardiogram devices), computers, and floor buffers. Almost every department has something to offer the discriminating shopper. In fact hospitals are very much like a large Department Store except there is no checkout counter. There are, however, numerous unattended doors. Most hospitals have departments that deal in cash such as gift shops, pharmacies and cafeterias. Hospitals deal with patient valuables on a daily basis.... |
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04.18.07 |
A woman in her 70s has a sizable estate acquired from a lifetime of hard work and smart investments. Lonely and overly trusting, she falls prey to a much younger man who persuades her to sign over her assets to him.... |
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03.14.07 |
The recent abduction of an infant from Covenant Lakeside Hospital in Lubbock, Texas conveys many implicit messages. We do not know all of the facts surrounding this abduction and we won't speculate, but suffices to say there are many reasons to remain vigilant. The biggest threat to any security program is complacency. The National Center For Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).... |
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Archive 2006: |
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Archive 2005: |
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01.02.05 |
In today's world, most medical facilities are going the extra mile to ensure that newborn babies are safe. Today most hospitals take a number of steps to identify newborn infants through provisional DNA matching. Most facilities have more structured controls for visitors, such as banding the parents. L & D units generally employ the use of various technologies such as CCTV systems, card access control, lockdown systems and electronic infant tag systems. In addition, most hospitals have backed up these electro/mechanical remedies with various protocols aimed at staff behaviors that are consistent with sound security practices. Many hospitals do periodic abduction drills.... |
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Archive 2004: |
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05.01.04 |
Recently, an Emergency Room physician was attacked in a Southern California Hospital. This incident, and similar incidents around the country serve to remind us all that when criminal acts occur in a hospital, media coverage is usually intense. There is an implied incongruity between violent criminal activity and the mission of the hospital. There is also the general impression that hospitals are safe sanctuaries. Anything that flies in the face of this perception has a degree of shock value in the eyes of the public and will therefore always make the six o'clock news.... |
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05.01.04 |
We at SMSI are expanding the Education Center on our website (www.smsiinc.com). We have found that over the years managers are often interested in how other hospitals are meeting their security needs. There is also a tendency to think that the only ideas for improving security and loss prevention must come from within the healthcare industry. This predisposition will surely guarantee that you will stay within the proverbial "box." Hospital security may be unique, but it is not so unique that one cannot learn from other industries. Whether appropriate or not, there are also regional differences in approaches to security. We have recently added a FAQ section to this portion of the website.... |
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04.01.04 |
If it wasn't such a serious security concern, some security incidents are almost amusing. For example, the time there were two women in the ER. They were side by side, separated only by sliding curtains. One of the women started to swear by verbalizing obscenities. The women next to here asked her to stop and to be quiet. By the time ER personnel arrived, the two women were dueling it out with their respective IV poles.... |
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04.01.04 |
Hospitals have traditionally done a poor job of protecting assets. There are many reasons for this phenomena, not the least of which is tradition. That may sound silly, but many hospitals, to this day, maintain a naive view of the need for asset protection and when they do acknowledge some theft, it is often perceived as an outside threat.. The best evidence for this perspective is found is asset storage areas. Most hospitals would be unable to even detect a loss because of loose inventory control systems and there is never a forced entry.... |
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03.01.04 |
Does that question sound familiar? If you are evaluating your overall security program, this question should be the last question you ask, not the first. On the SMSI Website (www.smsiinc.com) the opening "pop-up" depicts the SMSI Security Solution Hierarchy which will explain why the number of security FTEs should be the final determination when building an effective security program.... |
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02.01.04 |
A significant portion of security lawsuits are intentional torts. These litigations include false arrest, false imprisonment and excessive use of force. Among these intentional torts, excessive use of force is the source of a significant portion of security lawsuits. The preponderance of false arrest lawsuits occur in retail industries. However, this article will deal with the topic of the use of force. Lawsuits arising out of claims of excessive use of force can be found not only in the retail industry, but also in the hotel and casino industry, large entertainment/sports venues, the healthcare industry and the nightclub industry.... |
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04.01.01 |
This past year seems to indicate that hospitals are increasingly exposed to premises liability lawsuits where the primary assertion is, "Inadequate Security." Admittedly, our viewpoint is predicated on anecdotal information, but over the past 12 months we have worked 15 hospital security lawsuits. The sad fact is that most of these lawsuits would have been prevented with a moderate amount of self examination. The majority of these cases involved sexual assault claims emanating from a wide range of plaintiffs. In some cases the assertion was that a hospital employee committed the assault, while others asserted the assault was committed by an unknown third party.... |
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Archive 2003: |
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12.01.03 |
We believe that the events of 9/11, have changed some of the fundamental underlying assumptions of many Hospital Security Programs. The three general topics that illustrate these changes are the police, technology, and foreseeability , three somewhat dissimilar topics.... |
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11.01.03 |
Does every hospital need a fulltime Board Certified Security Professional as a security and loss prevention manager? The answer is "No." However, the key word in the above question is "full-time." Every business does require security expertise several times throughout the year. Anyone who doubts this need only look at the proliferation of security derived lawsuits sweeping the country as just one justification. In most of these lawsuits, which are primarily premises liability suits, we find that the security manager is under-qualified. We know that a fully qualified security manager, with 10 to 20 years of experience, can demand a six figure salary.... |
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10.01.03 |
We at SMSI are expanding the Education Center on our website (www.smsiinc.com). We have found that over the years managers are often interested in how other hospitals are meeting their security needs. There is also a tendency to think that the only ideas for improving security and loss prevention must come from within the health care industry. This predisposition will surely guarantee that you will stay within the proverbial "box." Hospital security may be unique, but it is not so unique that one cannot learn from other industries. Whether appropriate or not, there are also regional differences in approaches to security. For example, anecdotally, it seems the events of 9/11 become less profound as one moves from east to west.... |
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09.01.03 |
The Hospital Security Reporter will soon be going electronic. We intend to disseminate the newsletter via email in an HTML format. This newsletter will arrive as an email as opposed to being an attachment to an email. The email version will provide a brief synopsis of each story with a click-through link to the stories you wish to read in their entirety. Those who have already subscribed to the Hospital Security Reporter to be delivered as an email attachment will automatically receive the new version. Those wishing to subscribe may do so at our website (www.smsiinc.com). The free subscription offer is on the right hand side of our Home Page.... |
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08.01.03 |
Hospital security programs often exist for the wrong reasons. If these programs are not implemented for the wrong reasons, through evolution, they are often sustained for the wrong reasons. If your Hospital Security Program fits these descriptions, it's time for a reality check.... |
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07.01..03 |
Security managers in many industries, including health care, have been slow to embrace the computer as a friend and a tool to be used on a daily basis. Computers were initially introduced to the security industry primarily as a means of managing large proprietary alarm systems and later as a tool to manage card access systems. Because the installing alarm companies supported these computer-based systems with hands-on training and support, some of the early phobia was broken down. Those security managers who worked with these earlier systems were less reticent to view the computer as an ally in other endeavors.... |
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06.01.03 |
The answer is probably. Hospitals have led many industries in the cost-effective practice of outsourcing specialty services. The advantages to going outside the organization for specialized expertise include cost savings, objectivity and efficiency. Consultants are typically specialists with a great deal of experience and expertise in a narrow niche. They also bring a breadth of experience because they benefit from the accumulated experience gained from serving several clients within a specialized industry, i.e., hospitals.... |
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05.01.03 |
Let us see if you agree with a few basic assumptions. Would you agree that every hospital does not need a fully qualified security management team running its security program on a full-time basis? However, would you also agree that every hospital does need the guidance of a security professional several time in the course of a year.... |
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04.01.03 |
Let us see if you agree with a few basic assumptions. Would you agree that every hospital does not need a fully qualified security management team running its security program on a full-time basis? Would you also agree that every hospital, whether large or small, does need the guidance of a security professional several times in the course of a year?... |
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03.01.03 |
SMSI is offering a partnership with hospital administration in an effort to provide a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors. In addition, SMSI will ensure the protection of the hospital's assets from the threats of theft and fraud. Hospitals have a long history of outsourcing because they have realized the benefits of bringing specialized expertise to solve problems. Outsourcing maximizes return on investment and, in the case of security, ensures a value-added service. |
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02.01.03 |
Closed circuit television systems are commonplace in most hospitals across the country. However, when one evaluates the implementation of CCTV, one comes away perplexed as to the objectives of such a system. The CCTV systems of many hospitals clearly have the potential of doing more harm than good in terms of liability. It appears that some hospitals have employed the use of a camera system in order to provide the illusion of security. The reality is that many camera systems detract from overall security objectives.... |
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01.01.03 |
Accept the reality that there will be times that people who should not be in your hospital get in anyway. Most hospitals do not have hardened perimeters with strict control of ingress and egress. In fact hospital perimeters are rather porous. Is it cost effective to place a security officer at every door? Of course not.... |
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Archive 2002: |
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12.01.02 |
Let's face it, most buildings over 15 years old were not built with the security threats in mind we face today. In fact, the design of most public buildings, including hospitals, was antithetical to the needs of buildings in today's world. Does this mean we should tear our building down and start from scratch?... |
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11.01.02 |
To answer the question, "How much security is enough?" one must first define what security is. In the past two years, we have provided testimony as a security expert in about two dozen lawsuits filed against hospitals, wherein plaintiffs claimed there was inadequate security. This assertion often is supported by the claim of an inadequate number of security personnel. These lawsuits often criticize the use of CCTV, alarm systems, security training and lighting. Security policies as well as visitor control policies are often attacked. Plaintiff's counsel will assert that the hospital should have foreseen the criminal activity that resulted in the injury to their client. Then they will offer the theory that the hospital failed to meet a reasonable standard of care.... |
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10.01.02 |
The upcoming HIPAA rules will have a direct as well as an indirect impact on some hospital security lawsuits. When hospital patients become victims of crime at the hands of third parties, those crimes often implicitly involve a breach of privacy. At the present time, we do not typically find a breach of privacy as part of the plaintiff's complaint. That is likely to change.... |
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09.01.02 |
On 9/11/01 hospital security programs began to adjust to a new reality. Those hospitals that have not made an adjustment place themselves in serious jeopardy. Those security programs that are marginal and have attempted to fake it, may pay a dear price if they do not adjust.... |
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08.01.02 |
Hospital Visitor Policies differ from hospital to hospital. They vary from extremely laissez-faire practices to very restrictive practices. We are not advocating a "one size fits all approach," but we are advocating a policy review to reflect the circumstances of the day. You may be assured that if a patient or staff member becomes the victim of a criminal act while in your hospital l or on your grounds, questions will surely arise as to how the perpetrator gained entry.... |
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07.01.02 |
What impact do the warnings provided by Homeland Security have on your hospital? Is it likely that your hospital will become the object of a terrorist attack?... |
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06.01.02 |
The Winter 2001 edition of the Journal of Health care Risk Management carried an informative article entitled, "Law and Practice Hand in Hand: The Use of Seclusion and Restraint Interventions in the Health care Setting." Barbara A. M. Maloney, JD, FASHRM, and Vareen O. Domaleski, MS, RN, CNAA authored this article. This article is of interest from the perspective of hospital security because, in most hospitals where there is a security presence, the security officers are usually called upon to apply the restraints.This is especially true in emergency department settings. Security personnel are often expected to control aggressive behavior and apply four-point restraints.... |
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05.01.02 |
Virtual Security Management is an idea whose time has come. SMSI is now bringing innovation and flexibility to hospital administrators by providing options in the management of their Hospital Security Programs. This new service is predicated on the assumption that all hospitals need professional security management expertise. All hospitals, whether large or small, no matter where they are located, need security expertise and experience. They may not need this expertise 365 days per year, but they will need it several times throughout the year.... |
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04.01.02 |
The attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon remind us all that we can never let our guard down. This crime against humanity has and will produce a wide range of security problems for the entirety of American enterprise, including hospitals. Any hospital wishing to find a reason to do a top to bottom security assessment now has sufficient justification. Every hospital must weigh the potential impact of this event as well as those events that are likely to follow and their impact on the well being of their patients, employees, and visitors. This is no time for complacency. SMSI has recently made an unscientific survey of a number of hospitals, from coast to coast, in order to gain some insight regarding the impact and response to this terrorist attack.... |
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03.01.02 |
Has there been a complete security audit of the hospital, including physical security, manpower needs, and police response?... |
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02.01.02 |
Let's face it, most buildings over 15 years old were not built with the security threats in mind we face today. In fact, the design of most public buildings, including hospitals, was antithetical to the needs of buildings in today's world. Does this mean we should tear our building down and start from scratch?... |
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01.01.02 |
The State of Washington has enacted legislation aimed at reducing work-place violence in the health care setting. The State's Department of Labor and Industries asserts that social service workers, nursing staff and orderlies are assaulted more often than in other types of employment. These findings seem to be consistent with national statistics. In 1996 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), published Guidelines for Preventing Work-place Violence for Health Care and Social Service Workers. That publication also asserts that more assaults occur in the health care and social services industry than in any other. As bad as some of this data is, there is general belief that incidents are most likely under-reported.... |
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Archive 2001: |
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12.01.01 |
Hospitals are not unlike any other business when it comes to Security related litigation. They are exposed to many of the same vulnerabilities. The exposure might actually be greater because of the openness of most hospitals. Hospitals are also held to a higher standard of care, especially for acts committed against patients, because of their need for protection and care and their inability to protect themselves. I would like to take a few moments to give you the benefit of my experience as a security consultant who has advised attorneys in over 100 cases. Let us first define some of the problems, and then offer some solutions.... |
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11.01.01 |
Parking lots and parking structures often provide criminals with the opportunity to carry out a wide range of criminal behavior such as auto theft and auto break-ins, robbery, assault and rape. They also provide an environment which often spawns litigation. Civil litigation can result from any and all of the afore mentioned criminal activity. Parking facilities can also produce litigation from accidents such as falls the result from aledged unsafe conditions.... |
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10.01.01 |
The answer is probably some of each. Why are so many hospitals spending upwards of six figures for security devices to protect babies? What is the likelihood that your hospital will have an abduction attempt in the next 12 months? The reason that hospitals have responded so vigorously to this perceived threat is they have used their L & D Departments as the promotional linchpin with which to sell the hospital to the community they serve. Abduction of an infant so badly wounds the reputation of a hospital that it takes years to recover. Infant abductions, wherever they occur, will draw national headlines.... |
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09.01.01 |
A mutually beneficial alliance is one between the Risk Manager and the Security Manager. If one accepts the premise that one of the primary goals of the Risk Manager is reducing the potential for lawsuits and the premise that the hospital security program has the potential to produce lawsuits, it is not hard to see the benefits of such a relationship. The security department has the potential to be sued on two fronts. They can be sued for what they do (intentional torts). They can also be sued for what they fail to do (negligence, premise liability).... |
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08.01.01 |
Let us see if you agree with a few basic assumptions. Would you agree that every hospital does not need a fully-qualified security management team running its security program on a full-time basis? Would you also agree that every hospital, whether large or small, does need the guidance of a security professional several times in the course of a year?... |
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07.01.01 |
What happens when a hospital uses a contract guard service with in-house security management, and the hospital is sued for inadequate security? Will the hospital be able to transfer the liability to the guard service provider, or will the guard contractor transfer liability to the hospital?... |
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06.01.01 |
In times of crisis when new threats are having to be dealt with along with the old threats, there is a temptation to go for the "quick fix." Security vendors may try to seize on the environment of uncertainty and heightened anxiety in order to promote their products and services. In this environment, the clinical staff may begin to lobby for armed guards and metal detectors. It is important to remember that if a security methodology is put in place and later withdrawn, the hospital's exposure will be increased if a security incident occurs subsequent to the withdrawal.... |
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05.01.01 |
Joe has 20 years of experience in law enforcement, crime prevention, physical security, and security design. He is certified on a practitioner level with LENEL Access Control and Alarm Monitoring Systems, and RiskAssess, (a data-driven risk assessment tool). He is a graduate of the U.S. National Crime Prevention Institute where he was certified in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).... |
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04.01.01 |
One of the first editions of this newsletter contained an article about Huntington Hospital in Pasadena, California. We wanted to do a story on this hospital because they were using canines as part of their security program. We decided to speak with their Security Manager, Bee O'Neil to see if they were still using canine patrols and how the program was doing.... |
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03.01.01 |
Hospitals that were built 10 to 15 years ago were not designed to confront the security threats of today's society. In fact, the design of those hospitals was antithetical to the needs of present-day facilities. Back then, openness and ease of access was paramount. Hospital design intended to encourage unfettered access. Criminals also had a different view of hospitals several years ago. Their peculiar code of conduct seemed to declare that hospitals were exempt from their criminal activity.... |
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02.01.01 |
There appears to be a rise in security litigation within the health care industry over the last two years. Does this mean there is a rise in hospital crime? Does the increase in litigation reflect a public that is more likely to bring a lawsuit? It is difficult to know for sure. It could be a combination of the two. Some of the content of this article is anecdotal; however, it is probably representative.... |
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