Hospitals, and other healthcare facilities such as nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, clinics, assisted living and retirement communities, medical office buildings, etc., are, by nature, relatively porous. They are also complex operations and their security is typically more involved and challenging than other types of facilities. Developing, implementing and managing a healthcare security program that provides the needed levels of control and protection while maintaining or improving the desired levels of accessibility, service and patient satisfaction is a challenge.

Medical staff are increasingly concerned over their safety and security in their workplaces, especially involving intentionally intimidating, threatening and violent behavior by patients and visitors. The solution to safely preventing and managing such behavior lies in a team effort by the Administration, Security and the employees themselves. Dick Sem was interviewed on emergency department security for the article, "Protecting Caregivers," in the November, 2009 issue of Security Management magazine.

Security in Healthcare industry is a unique challenge. Consider the variety of people who make up the typical hospital environment - Staff, Patients, staff, vendors, physicians, and visitors. 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 and 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.

Main threats in a hospital environment as insider or an employee theft, outsider gang members and 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. You can decide best option to fit your requirement options in security - High-tech, Low-tech, even No-tech.

Among the no-tech options, policies and procedures can be developed to enhance security with special 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

High-tech choices include Alarm Systems, Access Control Systems, Photo Identification, and Video Surveillance. But new tools such as patient locators, video pursuit software, delayed egress hardware; active asset control systems, enterprise-wide systems, and Digital video and pager alarms can enhance security even more. 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.

iWatchSystem can offer Integrated state-of-the-art solution with Proven Technologies and Product Line for your any conventional or non-conventional or requirement

• Employee Gate Entry Control System at Entry-Exit to make sure only authorized personal can gain access to the premises
• Employee and Visitor Parking Control System to keep unauthorized vehicles gaining access to parking areas
• Employee Access Control System or Biometric Fingerprint Access Control System to make sure only authorized staff member can get access   to   the restricted areas like pharmacy or drug storage area
• Visitor Screening and Management System at Guard House at Gates for Visitors to Patients, Vendors, Contractors etc.
• Visitor Screening and Management System at Lobby for Permanent Guests and Temporary Guests
• Proven Video Surveillance Solution with CCTV [Analog] Cameras and DVR [Digital Video Recorders] or High Resolution IP Cameras for IP Video Surveillance Solution [IPVS] to monitor potential risk areas like Infant/Elderly/Prisoner Care Area, Pharmacy or Drug Storage Area, Nuclear Medicine Area, Operating Rooms, Labs, Morgue etc.

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If you have immediate requirement or looking for solution Call us at (800) 696-3731 and talk to our Inside Sales Manager to schedule Site Survey by our Systems Engineer.