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 Today in Health IT, we're discussing shooting at Scottsdale Hospital Emergency Room leaves security guard injured. My name is Kate Gamble, and I'm Managing Editor at This Week Health, where we host a set of channels and events dedicated to transforming healthcare, one connection at a time.

And I'm joined by Sarah Richardson, President of Community Development here at This Week Health. Sarah, welcome to the show. Good morning, Kate. So in today's show, we are addressing a critical and concerning issue, the recent shooting at Honor Health Scottsdale Shea Medical Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, where a security guard was injured and the suspect was apprehended.

This is on the heels of the shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital in York, Pennsylvania last month, which resulted in the death of a police officer and injuries to several hospital staff members. Yeah, these incidents shed light on escalating trends of violence within health care settings, a topic that demands the attention of healthcare IT leaders.

And to add another scary stat, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that health care workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than employees in other industries. So clearly this is a huge problem. Let's break down some of the key highlights from this incident and explore the implications for health care leadership and the broader industry.

Yes. And first, let's just cover the fact this occurred in the emergency room, which is already a high stress environment where emotions are often running high in this setting poses unique challenges for security protocols. And for leadership, this exposes the need for robust security systems that can adapt to various hospital environments, especially, as you said, those high risk areas like emergency departments.

It is important to note, though, Kate, the suspect was quickly subdued by hospital security and staff, which definitely prevented further harm. Yeah, that's amazing. And that swift response emphasizes the importance of comprehensive training and preparedness among hospital personnel. So IT leaders need to ensure that communication systems are in place to facilitate rapid coordination during these types of emergencies.

And let's be honest, this incident is part of a broader pattern of increasing violence against healthcare workers. The American Nursing Association has labeled workplace violence in healthcare as a growing public health crisis, which was only exacerbated during COVID 19. And this trend necessitates a re evaluation of current security measures.

Healthcare IT leaders need to collaborate with security teams to implement technologies that enhance safety, such as surveillance systems and real time alert mechanisms. And the incident raises concerns about the adequacy of existing security protocols in health care facilities.

Following similar events, there have been calls for increased investments in hospital security to address some of these potential gaps. And let's face it, Investing in advanced security technologies is crucial. IT leaders should advocate for systems that integrate with existing hospital infrastructure to provide comprehensive protection without disrupting patient care.

Excellent points, Kate, because incident also highlights the need for proactive approaches to reducing violence in health care settings, and experts are suggesting that health care organizations should implement comprehensive violence prevention programs, including mandatory incident reporting and effective training to identify and de escalate potential violent situations.

And Kate, I know you're going to touch on some of the aspects of. Active shooter policy training and different scenarios, which after being here in him's this week, and also remembering that there was a mass shooting here at one of the concerts and how those patients, there were 500 people that were shot in that.

Incident over 58 of them killed it flooded the local hospitals as well with trauma patients. So all of those different scenarios or something that whether it's the city that you're visiting the city that you live in the importance of understanding the impact and how to handle those scenarios.

Unfortunately is training that is incredibly. Necessary, whether you're in a hospital or you are even a civilian where these things could occur. Yeah, I'm glad you brought that up. I remember that. It was such a alarming and sad story, but it really shows the importance. Of healthcare leaders and other leaders of supporting these initiatives by developing and maintaining systems that facilitate incident reporting and data analysis, enabling organizations to identify patterns and implement preventative measures.

And at the same time they need to be participating and helping to coordinate programs such as active shooter training. And of course, the frequency of actor shooter training in hospitals does have to be tailored to each facility's specific risk assessments and needs. And while there's not a universally mandated schedule, there are some recommendations from authoritative organizations.

So first is the Joint Commission, which is advising hospitals to conduct ongoing training for all employees on how to report and respond to Active shooter events, and this includes periodic drills or tabletop exercises to prepare staff effectively, and CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, recommends that active shooter preparedness plans be reviewed annually and updated as needed, and this training should be provided during onboarding and annually thereafter.

Exercises should be conducted periodically, or as the threat landscape warrants, and can vary in type, such as tabletop or online. Functional or full scale exercises. And finally, experts from the Mayo Clinic suggest that the frequency of aftershooter exercises should be determined based on a hospital's specific risk, hazard, and vulnerability assessments.

So for instance, families and, so for instance, facilities and area with higher risks may opt for annual or biennial exercises. Again, there's no one size fits all answer, but hospitals are strongly encouraged to conduct active shooter training at least annually with the frequency adjusted based on the unique risk profiles and operational considerations.

And I'm so glad that you covered those. Agencies and some of the recommendations that they have, because after that event had happened in Las Vegas, I was still working for a health care system that had offices here in Las Vegas, and we went through active shooter training. We went through incident response training to these different scenarios, and it's essential to consider also the psychological impact of such incidents on your staff and ensuring that support systems are in place, and that can be through digital platforms.

It can be aid and staff well being and retention. There's just ways to think about even how the training aspect can make people nervous because it's something they may not have experienced firsthand, but they're seeing it. And then when it happens in a city where you live, it's even more impactful. Yeah, I can imagine.

And It's important to touch on that because there is that need to be prepared, but also, it's a way, start again. That is really important because you do have to have that preparedness and you don't want, you don't want a shooting to be the first time that people are hearing this information because this can be so upsetting.

Integrating mental health resources into employee portals and providing access to counseling services, that should be part of a comprehensive support strategy. And be certain to foster that culture of safety and open communication when you can encourage staff to report concerns without fear of retaliation, it can lead to a far more secure environment.

And that's for anything that seems off in a given day or a scenario. Something looks suspicious or feels strange or just honestly doesn't feel right, it's okay to bring those concerns forward so that there's a vigilance level that if nothing else is going to protect people from what might happen.

Absolutely. So implementing these anonymous reporting tools and regular training sessions can empower staff to take an active role in maintaining a safe workplace. And that's so important because the last thing that you should have to deal with when you're providing care, the last thing you should do is have to be prepared for something like this, but it needs to be part of the equation.

And with both these incidents happening so early in the year, these serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities present in healthcare settings. It calls for a concerted effort from all stakeholders, especially healthcare IT leaders, to bolster security measures, enhance your staff training, ensure the safety of both patients and healthcare professionals, and really work collectively with everybody in your facilities to make sure that you're aligned and know what to do if there is an emergency.

Exactly. So by leveraging technology and fostering a culture of vigilance, we can work towards creating safer healthcare environments, which is just such an important goal. Yeah. And for joining us for this critical discussion and stay tuned for our next episode where we're going to discuss NYU Langone Health unveiling Amazon One for seamless patient check ins.

Don't forget to share this podcast with a friend or colleague. Use it as a foundation for daily or weekly discussions on the topics that are relevant to you and the industry. They can subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. Thank you for Sarah for joining me and thank you all for listening. That's a wrap.