With much of the country on edge after the terrorist attacks in Paris and the ISIS-inspired mass shooting in San Bernardino, CA, hospital security plans are under added scrutiny. After the Paris attacks, both the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services directed healthcare providers to review their emergency plans and design drills that incorporate scenarios that are informed by recent events.
Federal officials also called on providers to review their processes and procedures for active shooters and the reporting of suspicious activity, and to scrutinize their preparedness to deal with improvised explosive devices. Further, DHS noted that training and awareness initiatives should be reviewed along with the mechanisms providers have in place to conduct safety briefings. The DHS added that officials need to ensure that all emergency communications equipment is functioning properly and that regular tests of the equipment are being conducted.
While hospitals are understandably reluctant to share details about their specific security practices, officials acknowledge that the potential for such threats is a serious concern.
“The safety and security of Mayo Clinic’s patients, visitors, and employees has always been and will always be a top priority,” stresses Roger Hofer, MD, the medical director of security at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. “Because of recent events in the world and regionally, awareness is heightened, but training and preparation have always been part of our security practice.”
Hofer adds that the Mayo Clinic uses DHS’s training program “Run, Hide, Fight” as the basis for its general staff education, and that patients, visitors, and staff are strongly encouraged to be vigilant and to report any suspicious activities or behaviors.
Officials at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta are similarly tight-lipped regarding their specific security practices, but note that they are ready to adapt and change to keep patients and staff safe.
“We have close working relationships with federal, state, and local law enforcement and emergency preparedness agencies who keep us abreast of current local and regional threats,” explains Lori Wood, the director of emergency management at the Grady Health System. “We use this information to provide situational awareness for hospital leadership and to modify hospital emergency plans when needed.”
The DHS stresses that early recognition and reporting of suspicious activity is “the first line of defense” in defending against terrorist acts, and it offers a range of resources for healthcare organizations to use in training staff to come forward with any such concerns. These include:
