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NORTHERN COCHISE COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
SECURITY PLAN


DEPARTMENT: Safety
SUBJECT: Security Plan

Reviewed By:
Review Date:
Committee
07/20/17
Med Staff
08/28/17
Governing Board
09/26/17

REFERENCES: CMS Requirements.

SCOPE: All NCCH  Staff.

POLICY: Security Plan

PROCEDURE:
    Purpose:

      The purpose of the Northern Cochise Community Hospital (NCCH) Security management Plan is to ensure the safety and security of patients, visitors, personnel, and hospital property.  It is the objective of NCCH to have a written security risk assessment program that includes policies and procedures for a Security Management Plan that outlines the process for:
        1.  Reporting and investigating all potential and real security incidents involving patients, visitors, personnel, and property.

        2.  Corrective actions as warranted, to reduce the risk of recurrence.

        3.  Annual evaluation of objects, scope, performance, and effectiveness for the Security Management Plan.

        4.  Provision for orientation for all personnel and annual in-service for personnel in those areas determined to be sensitive by the Security Management Plan.

    Mission/Vision:
      In keeping with the organization's mission to meet the health needs of communities we serve with skill, dedication, and compassion, the Security Management Plan seeks to provide a secure environment for care.  Maximizing resources available, NCCH continually searches for best practice efforts to provide a safe, secure working environment.

    Responsibility for Enforcement:
      The Governing Board has given the Safety Committee the authority to enforce the Hospital Security Plan.  The Safety Committee has given the Risk/Safety Officer the authority to gather performance data and recommend corrective actions.

    Addressing, Reporting, and Investigating Security Incidents:
      All security incidents reported by a patient, resident, visitor, or employee, or observed by the risk manager will be documented on the incident report form.  Security incidents may include:
        1.  Theft of personal or organization property.

        2.  Any vandalism committed at the hospital or rural health clinics.

        3.  Any assault of a patient, visitor, or employee while on hospital premises.

        4.  Doors that do not lock correctly.

        5.  Any suspicious activity by visitors, or employees that may affect the safety and security of the organization.

        6.  Any traffic accidents that occur on the organization's campus.

      The Risk/Safety Officer will investigate all security incidents in a professional and confidential manner.  Any traffic accidents will be reported to the Police Department for investigation.  Any incident involving theft, vandalism, or assault may be reported to the Police Department for further investigation.  Follow-up investigation will depend on the severity and magnitude of the incident as determined by the Risk/Safety Officer or CEO.

    Identification of Patients and Hospital Staff:
      1.  All patients are required to be identified by a wrist identification band provided by the hospital upon admission.  The name band along with an allergy identification clasp will be placed on the patient by the nursing staff as part of the admission process.  ED patients will be identified by nursing staff (see policy - Patient Identification)

      2.  All employees are expected to wear their ID Badge (see employee handbook, pg. 11).  These badges have a white background with the organization name, employee name, and department the employee is assigned to.

      3.  Clinic or Allied Health personnel are expected to wear identification provided to them by their physician's office (uniforms with names provided by Tuscon Heart Group, name tags from office).

      4.  Physicians are expected to wear identification either on their lab coat or scrubs when in the hospital and/or rural health clinics.

      5.  Hospital volunteers wear blue jackets with name tags signifying hospital volunteer.

      6.  All visitors and family members shall sign-in and obtain a (disposable) Visitor's Badge.  All vendors who are not in uniform shall obtain a durable Visitor's Badge that shall be surrendered prior to departing the facility.

    Access Control to Sensitive Areas:
      The following areas of the organization have been designated as sensitive areas by NCCH:
      • Pharmacy
      • Medical records
      • Emergency Department
      • Supply and Procurement Department (SPD)
      • Sulphur Springs Medical Center/Sunsites Medical Clinic

      Each area identified as sensitive will be required to have a written policy providing for the control of access to the area by the organization's staff and/or visitors and to provide a copy of such policy to be incorporated in the Security Management Plan.

    Vehicular Access to Urgent Care Areas:
      To ensure vehicular access to the Emergency Department, an entrance designated for "Emergency Vehicles Only" is available.  Parking away from the access is available to patients needing to use the Emergency Department.  There are designated parking areas for Emergency Physicians.  During times of disaster emergencies, Environmental Services will maintain traffic control of the emergency entrance.

    Education and Orientation:
      All new employees are oriented to the Security and Safety Plans during general orientation.  The orientation includes reporting security incidents, identifying those areas requiring specific control, and how to call security emergencies.  Department Directors will provide department specific training for security emergencies.

      Annual in-service is provided for all employees through the SWANK training system.  The in-service includes:
        1.  Process for minimizing security risk.

        2.  Emergency procedures for security incidents.

        3.  Reporting procedures for security incidents.

    Emergency Security Procedures:
      1.  All employees at NCCH are responsible for reasonable security in their department.  Reasonable security includes:

      • Observing patient and visitor behavior.
      • Questioning visitors wandering in the halls.
      • Assuring outside doors are locked after-hours.
      • Assuring drug cabinets are locked at all times.
      • Assuring doors to sensitive areas are locked when employees are not in the immediate department or area.

      2.  All patients have the right to feel safe, secure, and independent in the hospital/rural health clinic environment.  Patients who become confused and wander will need close observation.  A nursing assistant or nurse will remain in the dining room wile any patient is still there.

      3.  When an employee believes that a major security incident has occurred (witnessed theft, vandalism, hostage situations, violent behavior by anyone) he/she should call 911 immediately to get help from the Police or Sheriff's Department and call "CODE GREEN" if instructed by the department manager or charge nurse.

      4.  When an employee believes that an infant or child has been abducted from the hospital or is in danger of being abducted, he/she should call "CODE PINK" immediately so hospital exits can be secured and call 911 for police assistance.

      5.  When an employee receives a bomb threat, procedures for obtaining information should be followed.  Once information has been obtained, call 911 to notify Police and Fire Departments for assistance.  Call "CODE YELLOW" as instructed, to initiate patient/visitor movement away from suspected bomb area.

      6.  During any security risk incident, the doors will be closed and secured.  Personnel will be assigned to the doors to monitor anyone coming and going.  If it becomes necessary to detain someone, police will be asked to assist.  Hospital personnel should not risk harm to themselves or others during any security incident.

    Security Escalation Levels:

      Security Level 1 = Routine Operations
      • Technology and remote Monitoring
      • NCCH staff Observations

      Security Level 2 = Planned Event, Known Threats, Incidents Near NCCH Property
      • Threat Management team review of threat and incident action plan.
      • Assign Dedicated Security duties, (Doors, monitoring, traffic control, etc...), assign first to Maintenance Staff, EVS Staff, Business Office Staff.
      • Technology and Monitoring.
      • Equipment available Vest and 2-way portable radios.

      Security Level 3 = Credible Threat, High Profile Patient, Patients That May Cause High Emotional Impact on Local Community, Etc... (Semi-Lock-Down Condition)
      • Threat management Team review and incident action plan developed.
      • ER Access Control Measures.
      • All hospital access points monitored.
      • Roving security patrol.
      • Willcox Police Dept. - Extra patrol presence.
      • Equipment, same as level 2.

      Security Level 4 = Total Lock-Down
      • Threat management Team and incident action plan.
      • WPD & CC Sheriff or other Law Enforcement on site.
      • All doors physically locked, all fire egresses human monitored.
      • Additional internal points of control established.
      • Equipment same as level 2.

    Situations Involving Media/VIP's/Public Figures/Public Officials:
      1.  Media
      • Immediately upon arrival of the media, security personnel will notify the Command Post or the Director of Community Relations.
      • The Director of Community Relations will act as liaison between the hospital and the media.
      • All information released to the media will be approved by the Command Post.

      2.  VIP's/Public Officials
      • In the event that a Public Figure/Public Official is a patient, the need for increased security will be evaluated by the CEO or the Risk/Safety Officer.  All patients have the right to the same level of confidentiality.

      3.  Interviews/Pictures
      • News media representatives may; interview or take pictures with the written permission of the patient and physician.
      • Permission may be obtained from the Director of Community Relations who will assist in securing permission and appropriate authorization.

    Safety Committee Monitoring and Evaluation:
      The Risk/Safety Officer will provide quarterly reports to the Safety Committee to include any security issues involving patients, visitors, employees, or property and the corrective action or control measures taken to reduce the risk of recurrence.

      Each year the Safety Committee will perform an evaluation of the Security management Plan regarding the objectives, scope, performance testing, and corrective actions to the Governing Board.

SAFE-PLAN-014-1