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Healthcare Industry Determined to Keep Pace
by Joel Terry
The healthcare industry trend in general does not include words such as downsizing, restructuring or closures to describe its overall market. The fact is, healthcare construction is booming. This growth is contributed to a number of factors such as aging facilities, growth in patient demand, advancing technology and increased competition.
By nature, healthcare facilities are already fairly porous and the move within the industry to be even more accessible, patient friendly, visitor compatible and aesthetically welcoming has created a conundrum for those responsible for security concerns. None-the-less, the critical assets of a hospital – its people, property, information and reputation – must be protected with the highest levels of security.
Healthcare managers are obligated to weigh many factors in making their security decisions. In addition to maintaining a comfortable environment; they must consider costs, compliance, litigation potential, their facility’s reputation as well as providing the “comforts of home” environment expected by the consumer. This compounds the already unique challenge for those responsible for addressing physical and data security.
In conjunction with the imposed threat of terrorism, that has already altered security concerns of the past, the changing mores of society in basic honesty and civility must be considered. The external pressures and demands in life and the increasingly litigious nature of our society are also strong drivers in putting security at the forefront of management concerns and funding issues.
To underscore this point, here are just a few of the headlines around the country in recent weeks: “Mother charged in Abduction”, Norwich, CT; “Hospital Security Officer Shoots, Kills Coworker”, Detroit, MI; “Department Head Tries To Sell Stolen Exam”, Englewood, CA; “Drill Proves Baby Security Tight”, North Wales, UK; “Killer Nurse To Talk”, New Jersey; “Power Broker Allegedly Tries to Shake Down Hospital”, Chicago, IL; “Hospital Employee Charged with Drug and Gun Dealing”, Brooklyn, NY; “Part-Time Hospital Worker Indicted in Kidnapping”, Lincoln County, KY; “A Thief in The Night – Infant abducted From N.C. Hospital; Security Breach – Hacker Gets Medical Records”, Washington, D.C.
Security cannot be overlooked when so much is at risk. Here is a summary list of the areas of most concern:
- Children and infants
- Staff, patients, visitors and families
- Supplies (including linens and food)
- Private information
- Pharmacies
- Equipment
- Tenants and their people and property
- The building and furnishings (e.g. against vandalism and graffiti)
- Cash
Low-tech physical security options such as locks, barriers, good lighting and landscaping used to be sufficient. However, today’s climate seems to demand more high-tech choices such as alarm systems, access control systems, photo identification, CCTV, two-way voice communications, and weapons screening systems as the minimum standard benchmark. New tools and forward planning concerns will likely necessitate such things as patient locators, video pursuit software, delayed egress hardware, active asset control systems, and enterprise-wide digital video and pager alarm systems. These are just a few solutions that are becoming increasingly critical.
The design and construction industry is responding to this challenge by incorporating security mechanisms that address the building envelope from both a holistic and systematic perspective. Building teams are working to harmonize design elements with high-performance building systems, materials and equipment.
Healthcare administrators are struggling to keep pace with the rapid evolution of medical technology and IT systems. Security is generally not as exciting a topic as a new operating room full of the latest high tech equipment. But in today’s world of real and perceived threats, security has been elevated and requires more attention than in prior generations.
Adding to the complexity of making these strategic and costly decisions, healthcare facilities have the added responsibility of complying with the latest environment of care requirements; JCAHO (Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations), IAHSS (International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety), and most recently, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act). All of these impose additional burdens on long range security planning and design.
Hospitals were once perceived as a place to “house the sick”—future healthcare facilities are now expected to be more specialized, more custom, more accommodating, more like home and still a secure “place of healing.”
As it has become incumbent upon those responsible for security to protect a vast array of assets in an unstable and unpredictable society, healthcare facilities are finding increasing value in periodically seeking an independent audit of their security systems. This type of initiative helps confirm they are consistently and effectively addressing the true risks, vulnerabilities and liabilities now present.
