How to Stay Welcoming Yet Secure in Healthcare

Healthcare security and life safety is “a constant balancing act between securing the facility and offering an open and caring welcome.” That’s consultant Tom Clancy’s sage advice. And an echo of Ohio Health’s Harry Trombitas’ experienced guidance: His security operation “values an open and welcoming atmosphere that focuses on outstanding patient care. However, many of the patients and visitors are experiencing their ‘worst days’ and emotions are raw. This can lead to people acting out in a stressful situation in ways they normally would not,” as he says.

Trombitas generally views healthcare risks as fitting into several buckets. “One, as far as people safety is concerned, I worry about the safety of all of our patients, visitors and associates,” he says. There are “the threats of infant abductions, assaults against our associates and violent behavior including the possibility of having an active shooter situation. Second, in regard to the facility, “risks include theft of personal or hospital property, damage to valuable equipment and vandalism to property. With information services, obvious threats include the theft of patient or associate personal information and the compromise of our computer network.”