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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).
When a lawsuit is filed for such reasons as inadequate security, every aspect of the hospital's security operation will be closely scrutinized. Such aspects as hiring and supervision of security personnel, policies and procedures as well as training programs will be examined and critiqued. Hospital security lawsuits have been filed as a result of parking lot assaults, sexual assaults, infant abductions as well as improper force used by security personnel. Typically the emergency room and parking facilities are the security/risk hot spots. Because hospitals are generally very accessible with numerous points of entry and exit, criminals are provided with a low risk, soft target.
Additionally, hospital security personnel are often first responders whenever accidents occur on hospital property, such as slip and falls. Their reports often provide the only historical documentation of such accidents and are, therefore, a part of the evidentiary packet when lawsuits are filed. The ability of security personnel to interact with victims, render assistance and provide accurate documentation could critically affect the outcome of future litigation.
Many hospitals have seen the wisdom of a marriage between these two departments. Kathryn Karnaze, Risk Manager with University Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, actively courts a close relationship with the security department. Ms. Karnaze works with the security department in identifying and analyzing security threats. She has worked with her security counterpart in addressing such issues as narcotics diversion, safeguarding patient valuables as well as sexual assault and sexual harassment in the work-place. She has been both an educator and a policy developer. Through cooperation both departments are able to achieve more.
Nancy Simpson, Risk Manager with St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham, Washington, is also an advocate for open channels of communication with the security department. Because Ms. Simpson is interested in cost containment, she works with the security department to reduce the theft of big-ticket items, such as computers. There are costs associated with litigation as there are costs associated with theft. In either case, the impact to the bottom line is the same. She also perceives security personnel as pro-active promoters of the hospital safety program.
Lynda Russell, Manager of Health Information at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, recently made a presentation to a Health care Security Workshop sponsored by the American Society for Industrial Security in Redondo Beach, California. Lynda, who is a lawyer and a former hospital risk manager, spoke on the need for security people to work hand in glove with the risk manager. As a risk manger, Lynda has teamed up with security in presenting in-service training for new employees. She also has sensitized the security staff in the area of civil law and liability. She has made herself available to security personnel as a legal resource person.
Clearly the risk management function and the hospital security function are both pro-active disciplines. Both have the common goals of prevention and lawsuit avoidance. With the national increase in security litigation, the tendency for juries to make large awards and the high cost of litigation, win or loose, the marriage of risk management with security makes dollars and sense. All three of the risk managers in this piece advocate the relationship and were able to concretely demonstrate bottom line impact.
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