Hospital security assessment: 4 steps to secure healthcare sites

What is a hospital security assessment?

A hospital security assessment is a holistic review of a healthcare facility’s physical and digital security measures. Healthcare administrators will work with trained security professionals to perform a detailed assessment of the site’s security, including physical and cyber security systems.

A hospital security assessment will typically involve an inspection of the property to evaluate both the physical layout of the facility and the efficacy of the hospital security systems. Professionals or hospital staff conducting the assessment will consider how effective existing security measures are and identify and address threats.

The importance of security in hospitals

For healthcare professionals to provide the required level of care to patients, they must be confident that they’re working in a safe environment. Hospital staff must be able to safeguard patients against violence, misuse of mediation and breaches of confidentiality.

Healthcare institutions must also comply with strict regulations concerning patient safety, the handling of controlled substances and the security of private healthcare data. This includes securing sensitive areas like pharmacies to prevent the theft or misuse of medications. Failure to comply with these requirements can result in significant financial penalties and possible imprisonment, further emphasizing the importance of healthcare security.

Below are some statistics that illustrate the current state of hospital security:

• 72% of healthcare workers are concerned about rising levels of patient violence
• Healthcare staff are 5 times as likely to face workplace violence as staff in other sectors
• Aggravated assaults account for 78% of violent crimes committed in hospitals
• The theft and misuse of medication cost hospitals as much as $164 million per year
• 116 million Americans were affected by large-scale healthcare-related data breaches in 2023
• The average cost of a healthcare data breach in 2023 was $10.93 million

Key components of a hospital security assessment

To conduct a successful hospital security assessment, stakeholders must review current hospital security measures and how effectively they are safeguarding patients, staff and the facility from physical and digital threats. An effective hospital security system typically includes these elements: 

Physical security measures 

Physical security measures include all technologies and policies implemented to identify and address physical threats in healthcare environments. Hospital physical security systems often include access control systems, video security solutions, alarm systems, sensors, perimeter security devices and healthcare weapons detection tools.

To strengthen security for healthcare facilities, assessments must be conducted regularly to analyze the efficacy of these systems. The hospital security assessment team will review the physical condition, operability and configuration of systems to ensure they’re able to prevent unauthorized entry, identify unusual activities, immediately alert security teams and activate alarms or other integrated systems the moment a threat is detected. Metrics from all ends of security and safety technologies, including hospital air quality monitoring and smart sensors, should be monitored closely. 

Cybersecurity measures

Hospital security assessments must also consider cybersecurity measures to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive healthcare and security data. Teams must review the configuration of cybersecurity solutions like encryption tools, firewalls, endpoint detection and response solutions, and digital access control systems.

An effective assessment will include penetration tests performed by security personnel. Testers will attempt to breach access systems and exploit vulnerabilities to simulate cyberattacks in healthcare environments. The results of these tests will help stakeholders improve existing cybersecurity measures. 

Policies and procedures

Organizational policies and procedures must be reviewed to ensure no oversights lead to significant security risks. This includes how access credentials are issued, how controlled substances are handled, how security incidents are reported and logged, and how trained personnel operate equipment. 

Hospital security assessments will also include a review of emergency response procedures like evacuations and lockdowns. Response plans for different types of emergencies, such as active harmer events, fires and natural disasters must be well-documented, regularly reviewed and easily accessible to all staff and patients.

Employee training initiatives

In most cases, security technologies and practices will only be effective if all staff understand how to safely navigate them. Employee training initiatives must cover emergency response plans, the safe reporting of security threats, de-escalation tactics and cybersecurity procedures to reliably identify and report social engineering attacks.

Employee training must be conducted regularly to ensure no vulnerabilities are exposed due to outdated knowledge. Staff training sessions may also cover previous security events and how to prevent them, as well as a review of local or national crime statistics. 

Regulatory compliance

Alongside protecting people, property and assets, hospital security solutions help administrators maintain compliance with strict industry regulations. The implementation and improvement of physical and digital security systems ensure hospitals operate in accordance with:

• Drug Enforcement Association (DEA) laws 
• Data privacy rules like the HIPAA Privacy Rule, the CCPA and FIPS
• Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 

During a hospital security assessment, the entire facility will be inspected to ensure all tools, technologies and policies are compliant with regulations and industry standards. If regulations are not adhered to, institutions will face significant financial and legal penalties, underlining the importance of regulatory compliance. 

How are hospital security risk assessments conducted?

Below is a hospital security assessment template to give a better understanding of the process:

1. Define assessment objectives

Security teams and management staff must define the objectives of the security assessment. Previous security incidents should be analyzed to identify potential weaknesses in existing systems. Local crime statistics must also be reviewed to identify potential threats.

For example, if findings show multiple physical intrusion events and acts of violence have been reported, hospital security assessments must define access security and personal safety as key objectives. Later processes may be tailored according to the result of the assessment. 

2. Identify threats and vulnerabilities

Prior to conducting security assessments, all events that could negatively impact hospitals’ safety must be identified. This includes threats posed by individuals like acts of violence and theft, as well as damages caused by natural disasters like fires, floods, or blackouts. Teams must also identify systems and assets most likely to be affected by these events.

Ratings should be applied to all threats and highlight the probability of specific events occurring. Internal security teams will determine these ratings based on the structure of the facility, recorded incidents and local crime data. This step will help to focus the hospital security assessment on elements that require immediate attention.

Common threats faced by healthcare facilities include:

• Acts of aggression
• Active harmers
• Acts of terrorism
• Vandalism and arson
• Data breaches

3. Propose risk mitigation measures

At this stage, the hospital security assessment team will review their findings and consider realistic risk mitigation measures. This step will require a review of the institution’s available budget to ensure finite resources are allocated as appropriately and effectively as possible.

By conducting an analysis of threat probability compared to the expected repercussions of various security incidents, stakeholders can prioritize appropriate improvements. Once these risk mitigation measures are agreed upon, a proposal for new solutions can be developed.

Examples of effective risk mitigation measures deployed in healthcare environments include:

• Observational practices: The use of technologies and organizational policies deployed to ensure high-risk areas/​assets are well-observed at all times to help staff improve incident response times.
• Threat reporting: Providing staff accessible tools to help them report suspicious or potentially dangerous events with prompt efficiency, including digital communication systems and efforts to promote a streamlined reporting culture.
• Security automations: The development of integrated security systems capable of performing automated incident responses to ensure risks are addressed immediately.
• Continuous training: The planning and performance of frequent employee training sessions to ensure all workers understand how to safely respond to threats, and are made aware of contemporary risks facing their facilities. 

4. Implement new security solutions

Hospital administrators and internal security teams will work alongside professional security integrators to design, install and configure new security solutions. These professionals will help stakeholders develop integrations that maximize the use of all security technologies utilized by the facility.

Hospital security assessments may also lead to the implementation of new organizational policies. Documents outlining these policies will be drawn up and staff training initiatives will be updated. As the last step, the hospital security assessment will be documented and stored in safe digital and physical spaces to maintain regulatory and legal compliance.

To effectively implement new hospital security solutions, consider the following questions under each category:

General Security

• How is visitor access managed to specific areas of the facility?
• What procedures are in place for approaching unidentified persons on the premises?
• Are there reliable and discreet channels for employees to contact security personnel?
• Are visible security measures such as cameras and hospital vape sensors implemented throughout the facility?
• How frequently are employees trained on security awareness?
• Is the facility capable of being locked down automatically?
• Are all access points secured during regular use?
• Do employees have access to panic buttons?
• Are detailed threat response plans documented?

Security Personnel

• Do security staff receive the proper level of training?
• Are security staff licensed with local and state licensing agencies?
• Are security staff affiliated with organizations such as the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS)?
• Are security staff’s training sessions recorded and logged for future reference?
• Do security staff perform regular patrols?
• Is there a predetermined route for patrols, and can security staff receive instant alerts during patrols?
• Are details of all security incidents recorded in a secure reporting system?
• Is there a reliable method to contact law enforcement to request support?

Video Security

• Are all high-risk and high-traffic areas observed with commercial security cameras?
• Is the security system monitored 24/7?
• Is remote viewing enabled for live video footage?
• Is video footage recorded and securely stored?
• Is video security integrated with wider security systems?
• Are video surveillance analytics tools utilized to support operations?
• How frequently are security cameras reviewed and maintained?
• Is video management software regularly updated?

Access Control

• Are specific areas of the facility secured with a hospital access control system?
• Are different credential types used to secure high- and low-risk areas?
• Is there an efficient system to create, issue, and manage credentials?
• Is a visitor management system utilized to allow access only to authorized visitors?
• Is remote access management and real-time alerting leveraged?
• Is access authorized for police and first responders during an emergency?
• Are access readers connected to wider security systems like alarms, sensors, and cameras?
• How are access issues and security breaches identified and resolved?

Digital Security

• Are all digital systems secured with access control and password protection?
• Are networks and communications protected with encryption tools and firewalls?
• Are protections in place to prevent unknown devices from connecting to private networks?
• Are Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) solutions utilized?
• Is a zero-trust policy followed?
• Are employees trained to spot, avoid, and address social engineering threats?
• Is personally identifiable information and Protected Health Information (PHI) properly stored and secured?
• How are vulnerabilities identified in past data breaches addressed?

Conclusion

Ensuring the safety and security of people, property and assets will always be a top priority for the healthcare industry. Not only do stakeholders have a responsibility to protect patients and healthcare workers from digital and physical threats, they must also maintain compliance with strict laws and industry-specific regulations.

To ensure healthcare security systems and organizational policies remain effective, hospital administrators must commit to regular system updates and reviews. By conducting a healthcare security assessment, stakeholders can gain a better understanding of the risks, enabling them to develop effective solutions to address threats.