Survey examines hospital security plans, response

A majority of hospitals have adopted aggressive training programs designed to de-escalate security situations before they intensify, according to the 2016 Hospital Security Survey. The survey was conducted in June by the AHA’s Health Facilities Management magazine and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering, an AHA professional membership group. Seventy-five percent of respondents said that maintaining security has become more challenging over the past two years. In response, 85% are using aggressive management training while another 5% plan to implement the training in the next year. Among other findings, 78% of respondents conduct a physical facilities security assessment at least annually, while 97% have workplace violence policies and 95% have active-shooter policies. For more, see the Health Facilities Management story.