SPECIAL FEATURES OF HOSPITAL SECURITY

Col J H Mayne, CPP

CLOSING THE BARN DOOR AFTER THE HORSE HAS BOLTED

STATING THE OBVIOUS

Definition of Hospital

• “A modern hospital is an institution which possesses adequate accommodation and well qualified and experienced personnel to provide service of curative, restorative and preventive character of the highest quality.

• They are not in the business of manufacturing consumer goods, but for rendering critical services and are far more dependent upon their employees’ morale and commitment.

• Employees in such institutions, including the security staff, who function as a buffer zone between the hospital staff the public.

• Institutions which provide medical care are generally criticised more for the attitudes of their personnel than for the quality of the care they provide, which is often a source of security concern. Whose attitude is in the Show window??

The Security staff!

ASSETS OF A HOSPITAL

• Patients• Specialised staff (doctors, nurses, technical assistants...)• High end equipment.• Medicines.• Relations of patients.• Visitors.• Morgue.• Vehicles.• Building and affiliated material.

AN ANATOMY OF HOSPITAL SECURITY• Hospital cannot afford a weak link in their

security• “Murphy’s Law” is alive and well in the hospital

setting• Patients and families evaluate hospitals not only

for their level of clinical care, but also for the quality of security & safety provided

• Hospitals are unique with characteristics setting them apart from other market segments.

• Liability issues caused by negligent issues.

SECURITY OF A HOSPITAL

• First principal in Hospital Security Management:– YOYO! – Scene size is disproportional:- Be prepared! Carlton Towers 26/11 Floods Bihar/Orissa/Assam/Karnataka Delhi Riots Train Accidents Death of a Super Star

HOSPITAL SECURITY

HOSPITAL SECURITY

Events effecting hospital security can be naturally occurring, human related, technological or involve hazardous chemicals.– In disaster times health care workers

automatically respond to their hospital to help• They typically cause parking problems• They typically do not know what door to enter

through (rationale to maintain a standard lock schedule)

• They do not know where to go so they go to the E.D.

• They……

HOSPITAL SECURITY• As you see, there are security problems across the

board that we have only touched on identifying and solving.

• Where do we start?

• Create Your Plan!– There are two types of people who believe in security

plans. Those who know they are necessary for regulatory or compliance reasons, and those who know they will eventually be used.

– Which are you? It makes a difference in the development of the plans

HOSPITAL SECURITY

• Create Your Plan!

– Internal Disaster Plan

– External Disaster Plan

– Lock Down Plan

HOSPITAL SECURITY• Internal Disaster Plan

– Mitigation-Conduct annual Hazard Vulnerability analysis.

-Conduct and resolve safety / security issues with the Risk Assessment Program.

-Maintain working relationships with State and local emergency agencies. – Preparedness– Provide continuing disaster response training and awareness.– Maintain trained Emergency Response Units.– Participate in community-wide drills and conduct in-house drills per federal, state, local

regulations and guidelines to assess preparedness

– Response– Initiation - Anyone witnessing or receiving notification of an internal disaster– Announcement - When the decision is made to activate the internal disaster plan– Initial Response - Staff appointed to the Security function should lock down the

hospital per the “lock down” policy.

– Recovery– Psychosocial-Debriefing with all staff-doctors, management……– Loss of Utilities- Take stock– Supplies and other needs- Immediate action to replenish.

HOSPITAL SECURITYExternal Disaster Plan:-Mitigation:-Conduct an annual hazard/security and safety vulnerability analysis.Utilize the Hospital Incident Report as a yard stickMaintain active participation with Local Emergency Organisations (Fire/Police

Departments)

PreparednessMaintain a reserve of supplies as necessary to provide for the potential loss of supply

lines.Conduct organization wide drills to assess opportunities for improvement.

Conduct staff training on preparedness. ResponseInitiation

Announcement

Response-Shut down the entrances

Recovery: Same as Internal Plan

SPECIAL ASPECTS-SAFETY & SECURITY

• Safety management is a very important aspect of planning in every form of infrastructure, and includes aspects of not only fire safety, but also security measures to militate against a whole range of unsafe encounters

• Theft• Pilferage• Extortion-Touts and even Security• Abduction-babies• Riot • Natural calamities,• Sabotage,• Murder • Acts of terrorism. (Who terrorises??)

LOCK DOWNMitigation

1. Plan within the hospital & with State & local authorities for threatening situations.2. Maintain effective communications on potentially violent individuals or high profile

cases to our facility.3. Provide training and equipment to better prepare the hospital for an event.

Preparedness1. Train staff in awareness and recognition of potentially violent situations.2. Provide hands on staff assistance training to control physically violent situation. 3. Utilize door locking and personal surveillance techniques.

Response1. The decision to lockdown will be based on current events.

2. Staff appointed as security will obtain the master key ring and will physically walk the exterior of the building locking and checking each door.

3. Doors to the lockdown area will be closed/locked and staffed designated personnel.

Recovery1. The hospital or lockdown area will resume normal operations on end of threat.2. Communication of the “ All Clear” will be to all departments.3. Provide for physical and psychosocial needs of patients and staff with hospital.

DEFINITION OF WORK: • Develops and coordinates the implementation of programs for the

detection and mitigation of life safety, occupational safety, infectious waste/hazardous materials and security hazards in the facility.

• Develops or assists in the development of hospital policies, procedures and reporting mechanisms relating to life safety, occupational safety, environmental regulation, emergency response and physical plant security.

• Functions as patient safety officer and coordinates the patient safety program.

• Conducts regular and special safety and security inspections, drills and tests and monitors compliance with fire and building codes.

• Oversees the timely investigation and reporting of patient/employee injuries, accidents.

• Participates in the evaluation of purchases of safety and security equipment and supplies.

• Provides technical guidance to hospital staff and local emergency response organizations on safety and hazardous materials issues.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES• Knowledge of Central and State life safety, occupational safety,

environmental and emergency.• Knowledge of modern principles and practices relating to life safety,

occupational safety and environmental regulation.• Ability to develop, implement, coordinate and evaluate hospital

safety and security programs.• Ability to develop and implement hospital safety and security

policies, procedures and reporting mechanisms.• Ability to develop and coordinate employee orientation and

education programs relating to hospital safety and security programs and policies.

• Ability to conduct and evaluate safety and security inspections, drills and tests.

• Ability to collect, analyze and report accident and incident data, to identify causal factors and trends and to recommend appropriate corrective actions.

• Ability to communicate effective, orally and in writing.

HOSPITAL SECURITY:

Electronics AidRFID: Access Control. Asset tracking. Tracking of patient with their medicine. Infant care. Billing.

CCTVMonitoring

Historical

Force Multiplier.

Electronic alarm.Early warning

Mass Communication

Access Control Entry/Exits

WHY CCTV??

A detained doctor has confessed playing the role of facilitator in four suicide attacks in Lahore, sources said on Monday.

Properly Selected

Well trained

High standard of personal hygiene

Good appearance

Professional – abreast with current security trends

Must recognize key staff

Good communication skills

STAFF REQUISITES

Use of poorly lighted area by drug abusers

Improper accounting of parking fee collection

Increased chances of employee dishonesty in shipping and receiving area – 24/7 monitoring and surveillance

Threat potential of biohazard waste – well planned storage and disposal is important

Gangsters and criminals undergoing treatment

VIPs admitted in hospitals

ADDITIONAL AREAS OF CONCERN

Suicides by patients undergoing psychiatric treatment and suffering from incurable diseases

Female patients in OPDs and female employees

Unauthorized sales of drugs to addicts

Illegal sex determination

Illegal termination of pregnancy/abortion – leads to death sometime .

Fire

Bomb Threat

Patients running away without making payment

Sale of infected / substandard blood

Touts offering help to patients to get their work done on priority at a cost Recycling of used syringes and other equipments

Sale of spurious medicines

Strikes – paralyses the working of the hospital

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

Basic Security Training

General security training

Dealing with people

Code of conduct

Effective Communication

Fire prevention and control

Specialized Training.

Working of each department and their peculiarities.

Dealing with patients and relatives of patients suffering from mental ailments and other dreaded diseases

Radiological hazards and prevention

Protection of female employees and patients

Crisis intervention

NOT THE END

Just the beginning –everyday is an instructor for honing our skills

in security Enhancement

PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS