The Future of Violence in
Healthcare
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
1. Hold Security Practitioners and
Officers Accountable
 The future of healthcare security is highly
dependent on advanced levels of officer
training relative to the sensitive hospital
environment.
 ED security officers must be specially
trained to combat the risks of violence and
threats that plague the environment.
Certifications through IAHSS are more
important today than ever before.
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
2.
Develop leaders
 Directors and other leaders will be expected to
achieve and maintain advanced certifications and
qualifications. Continual training and obtaining
CEUs is vital to staying abreast of best practices
and advances in the industry.
 Leadership will focus on people versus processes
as healthcare security infuses accountability into
every security individual on the team.
 Not only are professionalism, competency, and
certification required as part of the leadership role,
but leaders must also be equipped to interpret and
demonstrate the healthcare facility’s mission,
culture, and overall focus on delivering optimal
services in a healing environment .
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
3.
Impact patient experience
 As HCAHPS and other patient experience
measurements are utilized, every possible
interaction with patients and their families
must be considered.
 Security professionals have a valuable
opportunity to provide a welcoming,
inviting, and empathetic greeting to
everyone who enters the ED.
 The increased pressure on hospitals to
reduce operational costs and improve
patient outcomes is supported by the
healthcare security professional.
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
4.
Deliver high-risk patient
management
 Behavioral health patients will continue to enter the ED for treatment
as the reduction in resources impacts their ability to obtain care. This
high-risk population increases the need for highly trained security
professionals who not only ensure the safety and security of the clinical
team, but who also ensure the safety of the behavioral health patient.
 Environmental design can enhance the patient experience and
contribute to a safer environment.
 Officers who are trained specifically in healthcare security techniques
have the ability to respond quickly and compassionately.
 Officers who understand behaviors of concern and the significance of
early intervention will become valuable members of the ED team.
 Forensic patients also contribute to a higher-risk ED environment, and
healthcare security professionals of the future must have the training
and experience to effectively support law enforcement in the
performance of their duties.
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
5. Conduct threat assessments,
planning, and surveys
 The future security of the ED depends more heavily on threat
assessments and violence prevention planning.
 The Joint Commission (TJC) and other regulatory agencies require at
least annual assessments with carefully documented findings and
recommendations.
 A multidisciplinary team of security, clinical, and management team
members must be included as part of this process.
 The future of healthcare security integrates every discipline within the
healthcare organization into the process.
 Threat assessments will include expertise of individuals with proficiency
in healthcare security, homeland security, law enforcement, and other
valuable areas of security.
 Consideration of safety measures, technology, and risk mitigation
strategies must be incorporated into these assessment processes.
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
6. Collaborate
 Collaboration is key to the future of a safer and more secure
ED. Strong relationships between security and the clinical
team are vital, and interaction highlights innovative
opportunities to support patient care in otherwise
undiscovered ways.

Jeff Strickler, RN-BC, MA, Associate Vice President,
Hillsborough Hospital, North Carolina, explains the future of
collaboration: “We need more ‘community’ involvement from
hospital police and security similar to the rationale for officers
walking a beat. Each clinical area should be assigned a
liaison. Officers should round and specifically interact with
nurses and physicians. I see no problem with officers
interacting with patients and families and not just the [highrisk] cases. I envision an officer coming into a room and
saying, ‘just checking on you and making sure that
everything is alright. Is there anything that I can do for you?’
That’s the future of healthcare security.”
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
7.
Deploy technology
 Technology is an ongoing metamorphosis. The future
of healthcare security relies on technology in new and
different ways. In addition to creating a safer
environment, technology also serves to support
privacy and HIPAA regulations.
 They will rely on technology to provide valuable,
detailed data and information for incident reporting,
remediation, and auditing events for future
improvements.
 The ACA also drives technology integration. The ACA
requires healthcare facilities to deploy integrated
security technology that contributes to quality of care
and patient satisfaction by supporting an increased
flow of patients through the healthcare system.
Eight Future Healthcare Security
Strategies
8. Manage metrics and data
 As hospitals are tasked with controlling costs, cutting
budgets, and improving patient care, healthcare security has
a heightened awareness of demonstrating their value as well.
It’s not enough to deliver outstanding security—you must be
able to demonstrate and document what you do, how much
you do, and why you do it.
 Service levels, efficiency, and effectiveness will be measured by
data to demonstrate the value of de-escalation, RAD, Basic Life
Support, nonviolent crisis intervention, and other training to the
ED clinical staff. The benefit of security delivering this type of
training versus outsourcing it provides tremendous benefits to the
hospital. Quantify the costs and benefits.
 Response times, number of patrols, thefts, assaults by type,
security violations remediated, number of violent events
managed, number of security escorts, potential weapons
confiscated, and many other metrics can be used to demonstrate
value.
Looking Ahead…..
 Security professionals who accept the
accountability and responsibility to protect the
lives of others in this volatile environment are
to be highly respected and esteemed.
 I still remember the days of sitting in front of
that black and white television set as I
watched Superman and The Lone Ranger
swoop in to save the day.
 I recall the vivid memories of desiring to be a
part of something special—and being able to
make a difference in the world by protecting
others. I am honored to be among the brave
men and women who deliver outstanding
security and safety for the sick, weak, and
vulnerable.