Security officers give a hospital its best chance to prevent violence, according to a survey of hospital security directors in a benchmark report by TarsusDirect (Key Benchmarks in Healthcare Security). More than surveillance video, access controls, or even metal detectors, it’s an officer’s presence at the point-of-care, in cases where unruly intruders or patient agitation might degenerate into violence, that offers the best chance to avoid a costly, tragic incident.
The benchmark survey builds on a wealth of data showing strong support for the presence of security personnel in a hospital’s Emergency Department (ED), either in the form of a permanent security post or by locating a security office in the ED. The 24/7 presence of security personnel in emergency departments was rated by respondents as highly valuable, earning 4.8 score on a1-to-5 value scale. It is also critical that they be on hand when staff are treating potentially violent individuals, respondents noted in interviews.
Of course, officers can’t be everywhere at once. If they’re needed on patrol or at posts to address nuisance incidents and lesser threats, then they’re not available for other critical functions.
That was the dilemma confronting a 100+ bed hospital in Texas (US). Homeless individuals entering the facility had become a common occurrence and trespassing and aggressive panhandlers in parking areas were also problematic. As a result, security personnel were forced to make frequent rounds to address perimeter security issues across its 250,000 square feet of building space and 14-acre property.
But the hospital found a solution to the problem. With the assistance of their security firm’s mobile technology platform, security patrols got “smart” and officers were freed-up for more critical functions.
Drawing on a wealth of data—from facility incidents, comparable facilities, area crime statistics, past patrols, and other relevant inputs—the system’s artificial intelligence engine constantly updates officers’ patrol routes and times. These intelligence-driven “dynamic” guard tours marked a substantial improvement to routine or random patrols. It puts security officers exactly where data show they’re most likely to be needed—and when.
The smart patrol technology also helps officers to complete patrols faster. Their whereabouts are constantly tracked (so there is no need for officers to re-register their presence at multiple tour stops) and directives are delivered to them via their handheld devices quickly and efficiently guide them through the management of incidents, such as a trip-and-fall hazard, in accordance with the hospital’s requirements.
Results of the technology upgrade tracked exactly to plan. First, smarter patrol tours accurately predicted where officers would make the most impact, resulting in an uptick in recorded security events as the hospital identified incidents that would have gone undetected without the system. Then, the hospital witnessed a more than 200% drop in security incidents, as the smarter patrols provided credible deterrence. Finally, with security officers no longer tethered to addressing recurring nuisances, they became available to deter violence associated with psychiatric patients.
After witnessing the positive return on investment, the hospital added an additional daytime shift to increase its security presence to 24/7. And it did so with confidence, as the technology enhanced transparency of its security service by providing it with all data associated with patrols, posts, and events both graphically and chronologically. The number of customer complaints fell, and the safer care environment raised staff, visitor, and patient satisfaction. And while there’s no telling exactly how many violent incidents have been averted by officers’ presence at high-risk patient interactions, the benefit to its bottom line is surely significant.
Data show healthcare workers in the US are five times more likely to sustain a workplace violence injury than other professions, with 73% of all nonfatal workplace violence-related injuries involving healthcare workers (“Addressing Workplace Violence and Creating a Safer Workplace,” Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, Oct. 31, 2023). And it's not just the US; the problem is global. “Health workers are at high risk of violence all over the world,” according to the World Health Organization, with up to 38% of health workers suffering physical violence at some point in their careers.
Health workers are at high risk of violence all over the world — World Health Organization
The cost is enormous, both in the toll violence takes on workers and its financial impact on healthcare providers.
Occupational health data indicate US hospitals average 33.9 violent incidents per year, with the average cost for a hospital employee’s injury at around $19,000. That’s more than $640,000 per hospital annually, and excludes considerable “soft costs” from violence, including low staff morale, absenteeism, reduced productivity, harm to an institution’s reputation, and worker turnover. A nurse who quits because of verbal abuse or violence will cost $103,000 to replace, according to the Joint Commission. If it’s a general practitioner, the expense balloons to $245,128. And all that ignores the $500,000 per-incident price tag of out-of-court settlements and the $850,000 cost when violence results in death.
The numbers are dizzying, and indicate that that the Texas hospital, like most hospitals, had a million-dollar problem on its hands—one that AI-driven mobile technology in the hands of security officers helped solve.