Feb 1, 2001
12:00 PM, STEPHENIE SLAHOR
Thomas L.
Norman, CPP, of Engineered Automation Systems Inc., Santa Ana,
Calif., says hospital security is a unique challenge. Consider
the variety of people who make up the typical hospital environment
- patients, staff, vendors, physicians, visitors and even their
enemies. Consider the place - many different rooms and spaces,
high-value equipment, accessibility to drugs, many entrances and
ease-of-movement around the building and premises. Consider a
typical hospital - an open feeling, many managers, politics, autonomous
physicians, and what Norman calls "big desires and limited
budgets."
It all adds
up to a need for different approaches to security. Hospital managers
base their security decisions on law, costs, fear of litigation,
and to protect their facility's reputation. But the critical assets
of a hospital - its people, property, information and reputation
- must be protected with good security.
Norman lists
the main threats in a hospital environment as insider/employee
theft, outsider gang members, visitor thefts, threats against
patients or staff, and crimes of opportunity.
To analyze
security needs, begin by listing the departments, reviewing the
business culture of the hospital, determining the threat levels
in each department, interviewing department heads about threats
and crime, and planning possible countermeasures for each department.
Then develop
a master plan and review it against a "reality check"
on the basis for the plan and the tools that will be needed. Don't
forget, Norman says, that you have options in security - high-tech,
low-tech, even no-tech.
Among the
no-tech options, he says, policies and procedures can be developed
to enhance security. Training and supervision keep those policies
and procedures at the forefront. Programs help promote security
awareness in the staff. And Norman suggests having an anonymous
800 number for reporting crimes and slips in security.
Low-tech options
include locks, barriers, good lighting and landscaping), says
Norman.
High-tech
choices include alarm systems, access control systems, photo identification,
CCTV, two-way voice communications and weapons screening systems.
But new tools such as patient locators, video pursuit software,
delayed egress hardware, active asset control systems, enterprise-wide
systems, digital video and pager alarms can enhance security even
more.
Norman says
professionals should look at the threats likely in specific areas:
- the emergency/trauma
department (gang fights, vendettas, domestic conflicts, child
custody conflicts, VIP patients);
- infant
care area (infant abduction, need for CCTV and infant security);
- pharmacy/drug
storage area (alarm and access control systems);
- prisoner
care area (receiving, elevator lock-off, surveillance, command
center);
- operating
rooms (access control, delayed egress hardware, CCTV),
- labs (access
control, duress alarms, CCTV);
- nuclear
medicine area (access control, CCTV);
- geriatric
care area (patient locators, CCTV);
- psychiatric
care area (lock-down capability, access control, staff duress,
solitary room);
- morgue
(decedent services area, access control, alarm system, CCTV);
and
- PBX area
(late-night security, rest room security, door release, duress
alarm).
Don't forget
such places as the parking lot (lighting, access control, CCTV
in stairwells, duress alarm at fee collection booth), food service
area (duress alarm), gift shop (burglar alarm, duress alarm) and
shipping/receiving areas (CCTV, patrol). And study the threat
potential of biohazard waste storage and disposal (CCTV, access
control).
New products
such as alarm pagers, infant abduction detection systems, patient
wandering systems, CCTV video pursuit systems, people trackers
and asset protection systems can each enhance hospital security,
Norman suggests.
Indeed hospital
security is unique, but with good planning, protection of its
assets can be enhanced.
If you would
like additional information please contact ElectricEyes at 306-347-0606
or info@electriceyes.com.
