Hospital and Healthcare Security, by Russell L. Colling.

May 1, 2001 12:00 PM, JEANNE BONNER

Providing a general overview of security practices and concerns, the book also covers issues specific to security in the healthcare arena.

Readers will enjoy the brief but interesting overview of the origins of closed circuit television during WWII, and a history of healthcare security in Britain and the U.S. will enlighten security directors on the background of their industry. In the late 1940s, for example, the security officer at a British hospital was called the house detective.

The book covers all of the major issues currently affecting the healthcare industry, including managed care, decrease in physician pay, shifts in type of care, and shifts in payment distribution. Colling provides a brief overview of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 whose objective is to ensure safe and healthful working conditions for employees. The book delivers a roundup of security threats facing healthcare facilities and workers, including assaults, bomb threats, burglary and vandalism, and kickbacks.

The most compelling aspect of the book, and indeed the reason to read the book, is Colling's attention to security issues that affect the healthcare industry almost exclusively.

Colling addresses one issue, for example, that is unique to healthcare security: personnel addicted to narcotics. Colling notes, “Narcotics addiction among doctors and nurses is a much more serious problem than is generally recognized. In fact today's healthcare facilities are a major source of the nation's drug traffic involving legally manufactured drugs.”

The industry faces a compelling case of loss due to the disposable nature of many items used at hospitals and doctors' offices. New design features — such as lightweight wheelchairs that can be pilfered easily — contribute to the nagging problem of loss.

“Narcotics addiction among doctors and nurses is a much more serious problem than is generally recognized.”

The book also explores another unique situation in healthcare security: hospitals must remain open 24 hours a day and their clients need to be able to enter and exit at any time of the day or night. In addition, Colling addresses the relationship between a hospital and its clients which can have security repercussions. “Patients are involuntary consumers, because they generally have no desire to be in the hospital.”

Healthcare security officials, as in other industries, also face employee theft. Colling writes that healthcare organizations have increased their attention to security and safety in recent years in part in response to security-related litigation, workplace violence fallout, and the creation of larger organizations.

The book contains a detailed index, and each chapter ends with footnotes and reference information.

Mr. Colling is the executive vice president of security services at Hospital Shared Services of Colorado, which advises some 70 hospitals in the United States and Canada. He is the founding president of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS).

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

This month in Access Control

• Targeting The Customer
• Electronic Pedigrees
• One Hero Among Many
• Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• More from September's issue