107H - Leveraging Technology to Maximize Safety in Complex Healthcare Settings

Wednesday, March 22

4:30–5:30 p.m.

Although not a new issue, recent incidents of violence in healthcare settings have raised awareness of the risks that healthcare workers face daily. According to the 2022 Healthcare Crime Survey produced by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety Foundation, the rate of hospital violent crime increased to a record 2.5 incidents per 100 beds in 2021, an increase of 47% from 2020. In response, several legislative initiatives have recently been introduced or passed, which increase penalties and, in some cases, require workplace violence prevention plans.

Several years ago, the Columbia VA Health Care System recognized the need to invest in the latest technology. Through a multidisciplinary team-based phased approach, it developed an acquisition and implementation plan, which has provided desired criminal incident reduction results. Initial implementation phases included deploying over 800 state-of-the-art cameras, the development of data analytics reporting to target police patrol areas, launching an automated call system capable of reaching over 1,000 patients or employees per hour, a new employee emergency contact management and notification system, and a license plate image recognition system. Additional initiatives that are in progress include a dispatch call recording system and a voice/sound analytics platform that will provide automated emergency notification capabilities. This session will provide real-world examples of new technology used in a healthcare environment; demonstrate effective strategies used to leverage technology and data reporting to reduce criminal incidents; and share information with participants about the process the Columbia VA HCS used to plan and implement these initiatives.

Learning Objectives

• Attendees will learn how investing in new technology can mitigate the risk of violence in a healthcare setting.
• Attendees will learn how to improve the efficiency of safety and security programs through targeting of higher-risk areas based on incident data analysis and trends.