In August 2010, the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) published a survey of healthcare security executives which revealed an increase in violent crimes within the reporting hospitals. Comparing survey data from 2004 and 2009, the study indicated that overall crime in hospitals increased by 75 percent. The survey showed a 200-percent increase in four categories of violent crime: rape/sexual assault, robbery, aggravated assault and simple assault. In the five non-violent crime categories surveyed, which account for 76 percent of all the reported crime, burglary, larceny, arson, vandalism and motor vehicle theft, the survey reported a 54 percent increase compared to 2004.
Is violence within the healthcare industry really increasing at such a rapid rate? There is a trend toward patients being more easily agitated, especially in behavioral health, visitors having less patience and staff that are too tolerant of bad behavior.