Security Best Practices for Healthcare Organizations

Most business owners know that a comprehensive security system can protect their operations.

The healthcare industry is no exception. Ensuring the safety of your patients and staff—and any visitors who enter your facility—should be a top priority.

While the medical industry may seem safe, healthcare workers are four times more likely to fall victim to workplace violence than other employees. Emergency departments face an even higher threat, with almost 50% of ER physicians and 70% of ER nurses reporting being hit or kicked on the clock.

So what’s the solution?

Here are three security best practices for healthcare clinics, hospitals, and other medical facilities:

• Prioritize access control.

The right access control system can improve your healthcare business security by a long shot. These systems are used to limit entry to certain areas of your facility—based on factors such as job responsibility, staff levels, and more. Keycards, biometric scanners, or even PIN codes will help to manage this. Some access control systems require visitors to show their ID before they enter the premises. In many cases, visitors may also need to be escorted around the facility.

• Install surveillance systems.

Security cameras should play an essential role in securing your healthcare facility. Be sure to place the cameras in strategic places—for instance, in hallways, parking lots, and near each of your entrances. A surveillance system will help you not only monitor what goes on inside your business, but also identify potential threats from the outside. From there, you can have someone keep an eye on your live feed and issue a quick response to a potential security breach.

• Hire trained security guards.

Trained security guards are yet another effective tool in deterring threats to your healthcare business. Whether you hire in-house guards or use a third-party staffing agency, these guards should be well-trained to mitigate security problems. Specifically, your guards should be trained to identify suspicious behavior, prepared to take action against a breach, and ready to complete regular patrols around your facility. You may even choose to permanently station guards in vulnerable areas like your main entrance.

Security is critical to your healthcare business. By designing the right security system, you can create a safe environment for patients, team members, and visitors—and improve your overall quality of care.

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