Page 8 - Campus Security & Life Safety, November/December 2022

Advanced Technology
A Practical Approach to Investing in Advanced Security: Lessons Learned in Healthcare
Hospital workers are accustomed to saving the lives of those that come through their doors. In recent years, however, they’ve been forced to focus their efforts inward to improve protection for themselves as they and their hospital campuses have increasingly become the target of violent attacks. While overall violent crime is on the rise, incidents of serious workplace violence are four times more common in healthcare than in the private industry—and unfortunately, it’s only getting worse. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the rate of injuries from attacks against medical professionals increased by 63% between 2011 and 2018.
As any business, especially healthcare, evaluates investing in new technology to improve security, they should carefully weigh their options. It’s essential to invest in technology that will not place an additional burden on existing staff, established processes, or a facility’s technological infrastructure and budget.
A Security Improvement Should Complement Staff
and Established Processes
There are great advances in technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI) that can help detect and react to threats like weapons, or wear- able devices that can record interactions that can help with investiga-
DAMRONG RATTANAPONG/Shutterstock.com
tions and training. These advances offer great opportunities; however, new technology also means new equipment, new users, and a need for training and continuing education. The people that will be expect- ed to learn and use the new technology can either be a contributor or a barrier to its success. For example, a hospital might invest heavily in access control and video, only to have employees counter the system by propping open doors! It’s great to have AI that detects weapons, but if there is no one to receive the alarm or react to it, then it’s a waste of time and money.
Before adopting any new technology or AI analytics solution, it’s essential to develop a plan that outlines how it will be used; expectations of the system; and additional needs that might be generated by the system, like staffing.
These are some questions to consider to help plan for a security technology investment:
• How will the solution be staffed, and are there funds in the budget
to staff a post 24/7 if the new solution calls for it?
• Is additional staffing needed to manage or respond to security
threats?
• Who receives training?
• How do you require training for temporary or contract staff? • Where will the solution be deployed?
8 campuslifesecurity.com | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022