Healthcare facilities experience a steady stream of people and patients entering and leaving their buildings. Whether it is a doctor’s office, a building with multiple offices or a hospital, the number of people that pass through each day can be staggering, especially in a large city such as Los Angeles. That amount of people can present multiple types of security risks to doctors, staff, patients and visitors.
With the large amount of people coming and going, the most recognized task that security officers have is access management. Your security team needs to make sure that only visitors with legitimate business at the facility are granted access and that they travel to their destination without straying into secure areas.
Another area of concern is the emotional state of mind of visitors. Because of the nature of a healthcare facility, caring for the sick and dying, many people are already emotionally charged when they arrive. In that state, some allow their emotions to take control and make poor decisions. Experienced security officers need to recognize this potential and understand when it is appropriate to step into a situation.
When you have a population density like that of Southern California, it breeds tension and violence between individuals and groups. Occasionally that can spill over to the medical facility. A trained security team can prevent or minimize that activity and secure the facility until law enforcement arrives.
These are some of the more simple, straight-forward ways experienced security officers service a hospital or medical practice. Security for healthcare, though, is much more than just managing the access to the facility or reacting to bad behavior. Supplying security services is also about being an active partner with that healthcare provider. Healthcare systems must continually work to meet regulatory compliance. A security partner needs to understand those demands and take an active role in making sure they are met.
For example, experienced security officers need be familiar with HIPPA and the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act. That familiarity can prepare them to be on the lookout for HIPPA violations concerning the protected health information of patients. This might be as simple as making sure patient information is not seen on an unattended computer screen, or that an old box of patient records is not left out near an incinerator or dumpster. Reporting these types of violations is important so that they can be avoided in the future.
Make sure your facility hires the best possible security team available by considering the following:
- Make sure your security company has experience working with healthcare providers.
- Ask if they understand the regulations with which healthcare must comply.
- Be sure your security provider is able to partner with you and identify areas of compliance risk.
- Once you have selected your security team, include them in all regulatory planning and training.
American Security Force is an experienced provider of security for healthcare facilities. We understand the demands of partnering with these health systems, and welcome the opportunity to be a trusted partner. Through our experience, we have established an effective template from which we can draw the beginnings of an individualized plan. We can create and scale a security team to meet the needs of your facility.
We can also supply Spanish-speaking officers, as well, which has proven to be very helpful in Southern California.
For more information about we can partner with your healthcare system, call American Security Force today at 877-722-8585.
