Florida Hospital Upgrades Security, Ensures Safety of Patients

Florida Hospital Upgrades Security, Ensures Safety of Patients

The hospital recently began phasing in additional security measures, including reducing the number of entry points.

A number of high profile incidents at hospitals around the country has put medical facilities on high alert in recent months. For Flagler Hospital in St. Augustine, Florida, increasing security was a matter of ensuring patient safety.

"That's why Flagler Hospital leaders have spent the past nine months working to enhance the overall security of our campus, while continuing to provide a welcoming environment for patients and their loved ones," Flagler Hospital President and CEO Jason Barrett said in an email to a local news station. "We are working diligently to achieve balance between convenience and safety. We are committed to creating the safest, most prepared and responsive environment we can, with the hope that the need for it will never arise."

The hospital has made several changes, the most obvious being the main entrance, where a security officer screens each and every person that enters and asks for a government-issued ID. A background search is conducted digitally before a visitor is issued a badge with their photo and place of destination printed on it.

On average, Flagler Hospital issues about 400 badges a day. If a background check presents any red flags, such as previous arrests or an outstanding warrant, law enforcement is called in. In some cases, the individual will still be allowed to visit, but with an officer by their side.

In addition to the new visitor management system, the hospital is continuously upgrading their surveillance systems and adding new security cameras while evolving hospital policies to ensure better safety and security.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3