Security service in the hospital - why is it necessary?

Larger hospitals in particular are constantly busy - 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Numerous employees, patients and visitors often make for a crowd that is difficult to keep track of, so recognising and avoiding potential hazards is of great relevance for orderly operations. A security service can help to ensure greater peace and security in the hospital.

In order for the concept of a hospital to function as a harmonious place of recovery, a suitable security concept is required. Possible protective measures include the use of a security service.

Why a security service may be necessary in a hospital

In hospitals and, in particular, emergency departments, people in exceptional physical or psychological situations encounter nursing staff who are often under enormous stress and workload. In addition, there are sometimes equally overstimulated or emotionally charged relatives of injured or ill people. This can lead to impatience, tension and even arguments.

For many hospitals in Germany, patients with poor impulse control are therefore part of everyday life. More than just occasionally, hospital staff in this country have to alert the police to stop unruly or violent people - and increasingly so.

What role does the state of healthcare play?

It is well known that the local healthcare system is facing growing challenges: In addition to demographic change, the shortage of skilled labour in the nursing professions and fewer and fewer doctors in private practice in rural areas are causes that are increasingly exacerbating the general care situation. As a result, hospitals are increasingly becoming the point of contact for medical issues that are neither considered emergencies nor require inpatient treatment. This in turn results in factors to which patients and visitors react with incomprehension or annoyance and which sometimes provoke arguments:

• long waiting times: The time it often takes to receive treatment, which is often considered too long, is particularly unpleasant for patients in severe pain. Studies even show that if the actual waiting times are longer than those stated by hospital staff, patients tend to be more aggressive.
• Overcrowding: Some patient rooms cannot be fully occupied due to infection or other reasons. In other cases, too many patients are accommodated in rooms that are too small to cope with the volume of patients.
• high expectations: The population's sense of entitlement with regard to healthcare is growing. In a highly developed industrialised country, many people expect higher standards than the current healthcare system provides.

The potential for conflict that this favours can contribute significantly to diminishing the status of hospitals as peaceful and safe havens.

Clinics also offer a target for offences against property

Another relevant area of offence concerns property: the theft of valuables from patients' rooms, for example, is widespread and often leaves unsuspecting or bedridden patients helpless. Burglaries in which the perpetrators target expensive medical equipment or prescription drugs can also hit hospitals hard.

The clinics are not only suffering financially as a result - patient care in terms of medical technology is also impaired and the good reputation of the hospital is jeopardised.

How can a security service provide support?

In a hospital, it is not only patients in need of help, sensitive medical areas and valuable medical technology that require protection, but above all the hospital staff in exposed areas such as the emergency room. As the premises are frequented by numerous groups of people, coordinated visitor management with access controls is an appropriate starting point. A video security system makes it possible to keep an eye on visitor flows and prevent vandalism, theft or acts of violence as quickly as possible and, in case of doubt, prosecute them.

Trained security personnel on site can intervene at any time to remove people with harmful behaviour, support people at risk and protect property. Even in extreme situations such as an evacuation or lockdown due to an infection incident, security personnel with crisis experience are of great value.

In addition, a professional security service provider can provide advice and help with the implementation of technical, organisational or personal protection measures.

What needs to be considered when using security services in hospitals?

Although the presence of security staff can increase the feeling of safety among hospital staff and patients, the sight of security staff in uniform has a negative effect on some people. To avoid fuelling aggression or fear, security staff should therefore have a uniform that is appropriate to the environment, but should still be recognisable. It is also important for well-trained personnel to have solid social and empathic skills in order to be able to act in a communicative and de-escalating manner.

Ultimately, a security service in a hospital is just one of several elements that must be integrated into the in-house protection and prevention concept. Training hospital staff, for example in recognising dangerous situations and dealing with aggressive patients, is just as essential.

Hospital operations require a comprehensive safety concept

Hospital operators have a responsibility towards their employees and patients, which can quickly become a challenge given the current care situation. In an already hectic working environment, overload and overcrowding often create additional potential for conflict.

A comprehensive security concept tailored to the respective facility is therefore essential. Established security service providers with well-trained staff can help to ensure that daily processes in hospitals run smoothly.

Are you looking for a professional service provider to protect your hospital? Paffen Sicherheitsdienst is at your disposal with a wide range of services for Security in the healthcare sector and excellently trained staff at your side. Of course, we are also available for general Object protection or Site security available in other areas.