Healthcare & Hospital Security

Healthcare Security

At HSS, hospital security is in our DNA. We were founded to serve the hospital community and, as such, have grown as the industry’s preeminent experts in the category. HSS leaders literally wrote the book on healthcare security and, with the Tarian partnership, our capabilities have been strengthened even further through the expertise of additional healthcare security industry leaders.

No two hospitals are alike so we tailor security solutions and continually raise industry standards by adapting best practices to unique customer and industry challenges. With our team managing facility security, healthcare providers can focus their time and resources on what they do best–deliver outstanding patient care.

Comprehensive Healthcare Campus Protection

Healthcare security is our history. Our people, services, and leading-edge technology make us the premier security provider for healthcare campuses. As a leader in this arena, we are active with the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety to continually raise the bar for contract security providers. But constant improvement doesn’t mean constant interruption. Our unparalleled expertise and staffing transition plan guarantees service will not be compromised when you choose HSS. But don’t just take our word for it. Nine out of ten healthcare organizations that have chosen us, are still with us.

Environment of Care Partner

HSS integrates fully with EOC committees to ensure you will meet the stringent requirements of staffing, technology, and education. Additionally, we work with you hand-in-hand to develop the necessary reporting and management plans for regulatory agencies.

Our leaders have participated in hundreds of TJC / DNV surveys, with a 100% success rate.
Our team can help with every detail, including risk assessments, safe building design, and more.

Access Control and Patrol

The safety of a healthcare environment is highly dependent on stringently controlling points of entry from unauthorized access. We incorporate foot and mobile patrols and provide personnel at perimeters to ensure the safe protection of staff, patients, and visitors. Using evidence-based risk indicators, as well as experience and knowledge gained by serving hundreds of hospitals and healthcare facilities, we confidently assign the appropriate levels of security officers in the right quantities required by your facilities.

Visitor Wayfinding, Screening and Management

The best healthcare guest experiences are those that feel welcoming and intuitive, rather than intimidating. We pay special attention to this when we design checkpoints (with and without metal detectors) and set up systems to provide necessary directions. Management is our more formal visitor screening process, whereby personnel verify identification, electronically record names in databases, and provide temporary photo-ID badges.

Hospital Staff Training

HSS is well-versed in hospital security training across the entire spectrum of the healthcare system (stand-alone emergency rooms, urgent care, medical offices, ambulatory surgical centers, home health agencies, long-term care and skilled nursing facilities). We provide comprehensive preparedness training to hospital staff using drills and exercises to simulate scenarios such as active shooter and infant abductions. We also offer our expertise in contemporary industry concerns such as home health security threats and managing prisoner patients. And we provide the tools for effective threat response to patient generated violence.

Management Only Program

For hospitals who wish to maintain and employ their own security workforce but want to add a high level of expertise, HSS provides experienced healthcare security leadership to manage a client’s in-house security workforce.

High-Risk Patient Monitoring

Compared to a traditional “sitter service” that focuses primarily on fall risks, the HSS patient monitoring program provides specifically-trained healthcare security officers to monitor the high-risk population, including aggressive, violent, disoriented, suicidal or substance-impaired patients. It requires special expertise and care to avoid threatening their security or the wellbeing of others. Patient Monitoring is available as a fixture of the overall security program or as an add-on.

HSS officers:

Monitor high-risk patients anywhere within a facility
Calm, de-escalate, and redirect patients
Prevent patients from falling, or pulling out IV and monitoring lines
Report potentially dangerous situations
Monitor patients by on-site design or through our Security Operations Center

Security Operations Center

Our Security Operations Center (SOC) is a fully integrated central communications hub that integrates with any hospital security program a client has in place. It supports and coordinates the response of security personnel, officers, supervisors, and vehicle patrols. It enables staff and visitors to share information. In short, it consolidates incident detection, monitoring and response activities, and increases officer response times. Some of our SOC services include:

Alarm monitoring
Radio dispatching
Emergency communications
Access control
Video monitoring
Surveillance
Patient monitoring
Emergency call boxes

Master Security Officer Support

The HSS Master Security Officer (MSO) certification program elevates security and effective officer engagement through specialized training courses. Hand-selected MSOs receive enhanced equipment (including electrical conducted weapons) and are trained in up to 49 hours of online courses, classroom, role play, and practice sessions. MSO modules include:

Cultural Integration and Security, where they focus on strengthening communication skills.
Customer Service teaches exceptional customer service in the healthcare environment.
Basic Taser and Handcuff Training provides the operational theories and practical training to reasonably, safely, and effectively operate TASER Conducted Electrical Weapons (CEWs). The handcuff portion explores the physical techniques and justification for the application of handcuffs while exercising powers to arrest as a security officer.
Crisis Intervention Training provides education about mental illness for first responders. Learners enhance their communication and teamwork skills, as well as the development of the initial approach, assessment, and intervention techniques when dealing with individuals afflicted with various forms of mental illness.
Advanced Firearms Training. This two-day program builds on what is learned from the Basic Firearms Course. Classes include: Advanced Tactical Skills, Advanced Threat Awareness, Verbal De-escalation for Armed First Responders and Defensive Techniques. Topics help officers develop their safety and survival skills, officer patrol techniques, incident/scene management, critical incident response, use of force and case law, equipment inspection, vehicle contacts and searches, and suspicious package recognition.

The end result is an MSO who provides a heightened personal influence and security impact, optimizing a healthcare facility's ability to offer a safe experience to its customers.

"HSS anticipated and prepared for the transition and did intensive training. When they took over, they were ready to go. I wanted to raise the bar and we have with HSS."

Joanne Phillips

MS, RN, CEN, CPHRM, Director Risk Management and Guest Relations
Regional West Health Services
Scottsbluff, Nebraska

"Everyone comments on the neat, clean, and professional appearance and presence of our officers. I like that their frequent rounds make them highly visible. Our nightshift nurses feel very secure because they see security officers all the time."

Joanne Phillips

MS, RN, CEN, CPHRM, Director Risk Management and Guest Relations
Regional West Health Services
Scottsbluff, Nebraska

"HSS security officers exceed expectations, are professional, and are accountable - they follow through. HSS officers are compassionate, anticipating the needs of those around them."

Joanne Phillips

MS, RN, CEN, CPHRM, Director Risk Management and Guest Relations
Regional West Health Services
Scottsbluff, Nebraska

"We changed from HSS and went to an international Guard Services provider because they were cheaper. Six months later, we brought HSS back. This is an example of ‘you get what you pay for."

Tim Keenan

Administrative Director
Support Services
St. Anthony Central, Lakewood, CO

"Working with HSS has been a positive experience. HSS security officers are very visible on their rounds, they greet and interact with staff and customers in passing and are always available to assist when the need arises. This creates a positive impression and deters crime."

Ken Henkelman

Vice President
Support Services
St. Rose Hospital, Hayward, Calif.

"Our security services have continued to improve under HSS because they constantly look for ways to improve safety and security. As a result, our staff feel more secure."

Ken Henkelman

Vice President
Support Services
St. Rose Hospital, Hayward, Calif.

"The HSS lead supervisor at St. Rose is excellent. Whenever I have a concern, I bring it to his attention and he addresses it immediately. HSS corporate leadership also is very responsive to our needs. They visit us monthly and that has a lot of value for the hospital and the HSS staff."

Ken Henkelman

Vice President
Support Services
St. Rose Hospital, Hayward, Calif.

"The HSS security officers at St. Rose are professional, personable, and have a calming presence."

Ken Henkelman

Vice President
Support Services
St. Rose Hospital, Hayward, Calif.

"Other security firms I’ve worked with tended to perform security duties regardless of how the people they are dealing with may feel. HSS keeps us safe and treats everyone - patients, family members, visitors, staff - with respect and dignity."

Guy Qvistgaard