Healthcare security is changing. As more and more hospitals form or join health systems or implement the Affordable Care Act, the standardization of security officer services has many advantages. The need for greater value from service providers, more efficient programs, consistent protocols for staff and patients and an increasing focus on both safety and security are positioning standardization of security services as a critical solution for health systems.
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.
The 21st Century is often referred to as the information age; the developing global marketplace has contributed to the entrance of new cultures and economies into the competitive global economy. Due to globally available infrastructure and the development of global telecommunication/computing capabilities, it has enabled individuals, companies and countries to compete globally on a level playing field with traditional Western powers even from some of the most remote parts of the world. Unfortunately this has also created conditions in which the threat of corporate espionage has been rapidly proliferating due to the ease threat actors can ply their trade both through physical and virtual actions against U.S. corporations.
Commissionaires is a private, not-for-profit organization that has been protecting people and property for more than 86 years. As one of Canada’s top security organizations, it employs more than 20,000 people across the country and holds the highest retention rate in the industry. Its workforce consists of a well-trained, diverse team of individuals from all walks of life, including but not limited to, former Canadian Forces and RCMP personnel.
What do famous TV surgeon Marcus Welby and Tim Mendiola, a real-life security officer, have in common? Beyond their different and equally essential tasks, both are on-call when not with a patient or patrolling a site.
It just takes a walk through the exhibit hall at any security convention to see the technological advances and growth of video monitoring technology. From thermal imaging and panoramic technology to enterprise surveillance systems, video monitoring becomes more and more sophisticated every year. Today’s systems incorporate “smart” cameras, boast internal storage and embedded analytics, and can stream to virtually any mobile device.