Unsatisfactory: The Role Of Security In The Hospital Industry

The hospital industry is encountering more and more safety and security issues than ever before. Areas around hospital facilities have become targets for vehicle burglaries, theft, and robberies of staff and quests alike. Prescription medication diversion and abuse by healthcare professionals is on the rise thus affecting the quality of care patients receive. Unsatisfactory security precautions in the hospital functions where money is handled provide the temptation for internal theft or robbery. Hospitals have now become targets for the theft of sensitive personal information through electronic hacking where this information is being sold on the black market. Unfortunately hospitals, particularly emergency rooms, are more and more becoming crime scenes due to violent acts

She further states there is the continued challenge balancing the need for security and maintaining a welcoming environment (as cited in MacDonald, 2014). Kelley states the very important fact that, “Security is paramount, but we also need to have that open access, that’s part of a role of a community hospital” (as cited in MacDonald, 2014, para. 8).

Conclusion

Crime and violence committed on once sacred hospital grounds continues to rise. The presence of money, narcotics, and unstable patients creates a possible powder keg of potential criminal activity. Hospital administrations are caught between creating a welcoming and trusting environment where patients feel safe and the increasing rise in criminal activity requiring more stringent security requirements. This poses a distinct balancing act where security needs are sometimes overlooked. The safety and security of the staff, patients, and guests should be the number one priority of hospital