Sharing healthcare security fundamentals in Sweden

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I recently attended a Swedish Healthcare Security and Safety Director’s conference in Gothenburg on April 25th and April 26th, where over 60 healthcare security leaders from 30+ hospitals across the country gathered to discuss the current challenges and trends they are facing.

I was honored to present the keynote address, in which I discussed the latest challenges, trends, and best practices from healthcare organizations around the world.

The statistics are clear — security is major concern for all healthcare organizations, with some of the major challenges being occupational fraud, workplace violence, and other crime, including theft.  In order to fully protect our hospitals against these threats, security management plans should be a collaborative effort across multiple hospital divisions, as well as facility systems. For example, integration between the security and building management system can lead to business value beyond improved security — to increased revenue, reduced losses, and reduced operating expenses.

At the conference, there was an agreement among delegates that the healthcare industry needs to investigate resources and tools, such as integrated security management solutions and patient and asset management using real-time location (RTLS) or radio frequency identification (RFID) systems, that can help security professionals keep a watchful eye on all areas of the healthcare facility campus. There were also several examples of security and safety threats that are unlikely in the Swedish culture and healthcare marketplace, thereby challenging the infrastructure and response to those events.

When assessing your hospital’s security management plan, a security management solution provider can help you to audit your current technology and identify any gaps where new technology or integration could help to provide a safe and secure environment for patients, staff, and visitors.

For more information on best practices for developing a complete hospital security management plan, you can view my presentation on slideshare.

What security technologies is your hospital adopting? How are those technologies adding business value to your hospital? Do the benefits extend beyond overall security improvement into areas such as reduced costs or improved productivity? Share your experience in the comment field below.