One of the biggest safety concerns facility managers have is the treatment of staff by patients, family members and other visitors, according to an article on the FacilitiesNet website.
Technology offers quicker and more efficient means of summoning help on any floor of a hospital, not just the emergency room. For instance, Rush University Medical Center in Chicago is using panic devices, which allow staff members to push a button and get help in their current location.
Rush also uses radio frequency panic devices on staff identification cards, allowing security staff to know what room a staff member is in.
In addition, several large healthcare organizations have opted for central command centers when security staff numbers have been cut, where security personnel can monitor all facilities from one location.