Approximately 11,370 healthcare and social assistance workers were the victims of workplace violence assaults in 2010 – a 13-percent increase over such assaults in 2009, and many more incidents likely go unreported, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  

 In August, Community Health Systems announced that an external group of hackers attacked its computer network that an external group of hackers attacked its computer network and stole non-medical data of 4.5 million patients – the second-largest HIPAA breach ever reported.  

 Jim Sawyer has a lot of “friends for life” at work.  Some of the “friends” Sawyer has made were at one time hostile, angry and frustrated clients, people tested by enormous stress levels.  

The nature of providing health care services is changing, particularly as the focus shifts from hospital-based care to providing care in more cost-effective settings. The introduction of the Affordable Care Act and other key drivers are making it increasing important for health care providers, and their supply companies, to reduce costs for customers and patients, says Greg Halvacs, the Chief Security Officer and Senior Vice President for Global Security, Flight Operations and Global Real Estate at Cardinal Health, a health care services company based in Dublin, Ohio.

Given an increase in violence in the hospital setting and continued attention on hospital security programs, there is a need to examine current hospital safety and security practices.