Hospital Security: What is Your Focus for 2011?
Posted on Fri, Jan 28, 2011
By Steve Elder, Senior Communications Specialist
Stanley Healthcare Solutions Silver Sponsor for the ASG Security Summit & Expo
The New Year is traditionally a time to ponder the year ahead, and set priorities. It is in this spirit that we ask security professionals serving the healthcare industry what you see ahead in 2011.
From our vantage point as a supplier of patient security systems, here are some of the things that Stanley Healthcare Solutions is tracking as we seek to improve our products and services:
Striking the right balance between security and access
Security professionals in all industries must ensure that security doesn’t interfere with the efficient running of the organization. But few industries face the kinds of challenges of healthcare, at once needing to be open and accessible, but facing a wide range of security risks.
Part of the answer is to focus tightly on the situation of each area and department. The needs of the OB unit are not the same as those of the Rehab unit, for example. How do you determine the right balance between the twin goals of access and security?
Evolving security risks
How are security risks for hospitals changing? Infant protection has been a big focus for the last decade or more, and now many hospitals are turning to other departments: Pediatrics, the ED, Rehab, etc.
What do you think will be the next big focus on patient security? What standards from the Joint Commission, the state or the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are driving your policies and approaches?
Focusing on the individual
One of the unique aspects of security for healthcare is that risks are not uniform. It isn’t just a question of keeping bad guys out. Each patient, worker and visitor will have a different risk profile, and some will be at much higher risk than others. For a nurse in the ED, the risk of assault is a daily reality; not so much in the ICU. How can hospitals provide the right level of security to each individual?
These are the questions that drive a lot of our product thinking and you can read more and request information by visiting our Virtual Expo Booth. We’d like to hear your thoughts on these questions and learn what your organization’s priorities are for 2011.