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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) http://www.missingkids.com has been tracking infant abductions from hospitals for many years. In part, because of their involvement the number of babies abducted from Hospitals in the United States has been extremely low. They provide a valuable service.
One of the potential dangers growing out of the Texas abduction are copycat crimes perpetrated on other hospitals, especially those hospitals that have not adequately hardened their mother/baby units. Other potential perpetrators might feel emboldened to try abducting a child because of the limited success of the Lubbock abduction. Hospitals must remain weary. The NCMEC Website provides resources to help hospitals better protect kids. This site is worth a visit.
Hospitals have been using a wide array of technology to protect infants for the past ten years or so. The Joint Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has steadily increased the needed requirements for hospitals to keep babies safe. Hospitals now generally restrict access to the mother /baby unit. Infants are often outfitted with various kinds of alarm sensors. The units often employee the use of CCTV and some form of automated access control. It is important that whatever security measures are put in place, they are put in place predicated on a detailed needs analysis. No two hospitals are exactly the same a no two security programs should be the same. The needs, risks and threats for each hospital are unique.
Security technology is not omnipotent. Yet there is the tendency to over rely on security technology while vigilance and involvement go by the wayside. Most times when there are security breaches in hospitals, human error is often a significant contributing factor. There is often an over reliance on technology and not enough reliance on awareness. Because the abduction of a baby from a hospital has become so infrequent, many perceive the threat to be gone completely. Whenever a baby is abducted you can always count on National media attention.
Expectant moms and their families need to be aware of the hospital's security protocols. That education should occur, as much as possible, prior to admittance, such as in birthing classes. Moms should be informed how to correctly discern a legitimate employee from a non-employee. They should know who is authorized to move the baby and who is not. They should know how to identify and authentic caregiver.
Remember, the abduction of an infant from a hospital is unlike most hospital crime. Most crimes committed in hospitals such as theft and robbery, are purely crimes of opportunity. A criminal sees the opportunity to get away with stealing a purse left unattended and acts on the opportunity. Generally people who steal babies do so with forethought and planning and even test runs. They generally know or learn the hospital routine and where things are. They often impersonate a staffer. They will generally attempt penetration of the unit in advance of the kidnapping. Baby abductors will often specifically target a particular baby that meets their needs.
Over the past several years, in addition to providing security assessments to numerous hospitals around the country, I have also been retained as an Expert Witness several lawsuits where the adequacy of security has been called into question. Of the approximately 500 lawsuits we have worked on, about 80 have involved healthcare facilities. When looking at these litigations longitudinally, one constant sticks out. The most common characteristic among all of these hospital lawsuits is staff apathy. Obviously the efficacy of the security program is important. However, an effective security program can be defeated if employees do not pay attention to their work environment. Hospitals must learn to backup their security programs by developing effective and ongoing Security Awareness Programs. These programs should begin during new employee orientation and must be promulgated year-round.
Finally, if the hospital does not do a top to bottom security assessment every three to four years, they are leaving themselves vulnerable to losses and lawsuits. A security evaluation by a qualified security professional is usually a cost beneficial exercise. Security audits improve the efficiency of the overall security program and help ensure that the program in contemporary.
For timely security information visit: www.securitysourceonline.com
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