Considering the serious (sometimes life-or-death) situations faced by people in the hospital, ensuring the safety of both patients and hospital personnel is essential. In recognition of this important task, last week (October 9-15, 2016) was Healthcare Security and Safety Week. This week, our medical recruiting experts are here to continue the conversation. Keep reading to learn more about the important roles healthcare security officers play in today's medical facilities.
What Is A Healthcare Security Officer?
Healthcare security officers are important hospital staff members. They do not provide treatment or sell any products, but they are nonetheless often very visible in hospital settings. The primary responsibilities for healthcare security officers are easing patient concerns and creating a safe environment for patients to receive treatment. Specifically, they are in charge of protecting information, reputation, property, and people.
What Does A Healthcare Security Officer Do?
A typical day for healthcare security officers frequently involves a variation of three main tasks: patrolling the hospital, responding to situations, and reporting information.
Patrolling The Hospital
Healthcare security officers are responsible for patrolling the hospital and manning specific posts. While on duty, they are expected to remain alert and prepared to respond to any suspicious activity that may threaten the safety of hospital patients, physicians, or staff. It is their job to provide assistance to patients and staff as needed and to ensure that safety regulations are followed at all times.
Responding To Situations
Hospital security officers are required to respond quickly to a variety of situations where there assistance may be needed. They may be called upon to direct traffic, mediate physician-patient interactions, help patients to their vehicles, escort patients or physicians, restrain unstable or irrational patients, enforce hospital regulations, and even assist with dead car batteries.
Reporting Information
Finally, hospital security personnel are in charge of making regular reports of their activities and findings. They are also expected to identify and report any health or safety hazards. It is always essential that healthcare securities respect the privacy of both patients and providers by keeping all their reports strictly confidential.
The Debates Surrounding Hospital Security Personnel
In recent years, violence in hospitals has become increasingly common. Becker's Hospital Review cites an article from The New York Times which reveals that hospitals saw a 40% increase in violent crime between 2012 and 2014, with more than 10,000 incidents directed at hospital employees. The vast majority of these instances involve outbursts by mentally unstable patients.
Healthcare security personnel have begun carrying weapons in response to the increased violence, which has (not surprisingly) sparked significant debate. Individuals who are in favor of arming healthcare security personnel claim that weapons are necessary in order to ensure the safety of both personnel and patients. The opposing side argues that bringing weapons into already tense situations may further endanger everyone that is present, as there are multiple cases reported where patients got control of these weapons. Regardless of how the debate over carrying weapons eventually resolves, healthcare security officers will continue to play crucial roles in our hospitals.
Honoring Healthcare Security Officers
Healthcare Security and Safety Week may have come and gone, but these honorable individuals and the important roles they play in our healthcare facilities deserve recognition year-round. We need our hospitals to be safe places for us to seek the care we need, and healthcare security officers are responsible for protecting that space. Here at The Hire Connection, we are immensely grateful to the people who dedicate their careers to protecting medical staff and their patients. On behalf of our entire healthcare recruiting team, we thank you!
The Hire Connection Team
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When you're recruiting a new physician for your practice, what traits should you look for? Don't be fooled into thinking that years of experience and a stellar resume are the only important characteristics. While these factors can help you narrow down your candidate pool, there are a lot of "intangibles" that should be factored into your decision. Our professional medical recruiting firm is here to help.
Finding The Right Physician - 5 Traits To Look For
When recruiting physicians for your firm, it's important to find candidates who possess the right characteristics to lead your practice to success. Below are a few key abilities and personality traits to look for in your prospective physicians.
1. Strong Communication Skills
As Americans continue to place a growing emphasis on personalized care, it is essential that you find physicians who are able to clearly and effectively communicate with their patients. It's important that your patients feel confident that they understand their diagnosis and their treatment plans, and they can only do so when their physicians communicate with them effectively.
2. Familiarity With Insurance Plans
Physicians are not required to handle the specific ins and outs of dealing with insurance companies, but a basic working knowledge of how insurance plans and requirements function can be valuable asset for physicians. This allows them to design treatment plans that will fit within their patients' insurance requirements.
3. Genuine Interest In Patients' Success
Patients want to feel like they matter - that their physicians are truly committed to helping them get better. No one can successfully fake the type of personalized care patients need for very long; your best bet will be to hire physicians who hold a genuine interest in their patients' well-being. Commitment to their patients' health should be top of your candidates' priority list.
4. Technological Adaptability
Medical technology is racing forward with impressive speed. Diagnostic and treatment strategies are evolving rapidly as new technological and medical advancements open the door to new possibilities. It's important to find an physician who will be able to keep up with each new technology as it becomes available.
5. Empathetic Attitude
Apart from standard wellness visits, most people must be suffering from an illness, disease, or injury in order for them to seek medical attention. In order to provide the quality care their patients need, doctors need to be able to be empathetic. If patients feel like their healthcare providers do not understand the emotional stressors their situation has placed on them, they will likely be displeased with the care and may go to a different provider.
The Hire Connection Can Help You Find The Right Physicians
Are you in need of a new physician at your hospital? Don't face the recruiting process alone. Our experienced and talented medical recruiting experts can help you approach the process strategically so that you can find the best possible physicians for your opportunities. We will also perform initial screenings of each potential candidates, ensuring that you only spend time interviewing those with the highest potential. Call us at (866) 661-4473 to learn more.
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Physician Opportunities Blog
Hospital security officers are required to respond quickly to a variety of situations where there assistance may be needed. They may be called upon to direct traffic, mediate physician-patient interactions, help patients to their vehicles, escort patients or physicians, restrain unstable or irrational patients, enforce hospital regulations, and even assist with dead car batteries. 
