COVID-19 & Security in the Healthcare Environment
SMSI has previously addressed the issue of the corona virus, from the perspective of the healthcare environment, as a security challenge. Notwithstanding, all industries that, within the normal course business, that generally afford public access, have reason to be concerned about security access control. If is also important to remember that, in general, security is a situational discipline, and a product of the overall threat environment. With the advent of the Corona Virus, we have one more concern.
Access management, from one industry to another, is varied. When access protocols are partially driven the virus threat, there is some universality of methodology. Before the virus raised its ugly head, hospital access management was driven by privacy, patient safety and staff safety.
Access Management is a term that means different things to different people. For the purposes of this presentation, access management is applicable to all businesses the have special concerns regarding the spread of COVID within confines of businesses that generally serve the public. Before COVID, to varying degrees, business allowed access to public areas, and they restricted access to those areas they would allow access based on legitimate need. Where access was controlled, and separated from the public areas, access was controlled with locks, barriers, the posting of security guards. Visitors would be allowed access-controlled locations.
Among those enterprises, that as a matter of course, allow public access, hospitals are among the most sensitive. Hospitals, adhering to the hypocritic edict of do no harm, have a special standard when it comes to controlling who is allowed, and who is not, especially those persons may be caring a highly communicable disease.
Those among you who are familiar with this SMSI Inc. are aware that Security Management Services International, Inc. provides two primary services: Security Management Support (including comprehensive security assessments), as well as forensic support for litigations pertaining to the efficacy of security programs and the issues related to the use of force. Our expert witness cases, for the most part, are characterized by enterprises that serve the public, such as: Hospitals, the Lodging Industry, Sports and Entertainment Venues, and Shopping Malls, to name a few.
Long before the pandemic threat, hospitals were always held to a high standard with the control of visitors to the hospital in terms of internal access, except for administration and the ED. The complete banning of all entries could potentially fly in the face of the mission of most hospitals. To use a football analogy, hospitals need to provide a, bend, but don’t break defense.
When evaluating the level of reasonable protection of patients, visitors, and staff, one must understand the full scope of the ambient threat environment. Because hospitals present such a unique set of security needs, the input of experienced healthcare security professionals is a must.
Security assessments of hospitals should be provided by qualified and experienced security professional, before-the fact. The most cost-effective assessment is to commence the assessment process as soon as possible, assuming there has been no assessments in the past five years. It is also important that the assessment process notices the positives, to be built upon, as well a noticing the weakness to be addressed with a specific set of recommendations. Although SMSI has been retained in numerous hospital inadequate security complaints, our preference is mitigation before-the-fact.
SMSI Inc. would welcome to offer a proposal for your consideration, after a few brief questions.
For more information, call: Bill Nesbitt at 805-241-3800
Address: SMSI Inc: 3572 Birdsong Ave.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360