A 26-year-old student who came to St. Joseph Medical Center in Houston for treatment of possible bipolar disorder was eventually shocked with a Taser and shot in the chest and then then handcuffed by two off-duty Houston police officers, moonlighting as security guards, according to an article on The New York Times.
Patients seeking help at hospitals across the country have instead been injured or killed by those guarding the institutions, the article said.
Healthcare facilities are not required to report these incidents, so little data is available. Official reports have identified more than a dozen in recent years.
As more American hospitals are arming guards, healthcare officials are debating about whether such steps improve safety or endanger patients.
Rethinking Strategies for Construction Success
From Touchless to Total Performance: Healthcare Restroom Design Redefined
New York State Approves $53M Construction Program at Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center
How Health Systems Are Rethinking Facilities Amid Margin Pressure
Ground Broken on New Medical Office Building in Scottsdale, AZ