HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY NEWS Kootenai Medical Center Says Worker Attacks Rising


Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is seeing an increase in violent behavior among its emergency room patients, with a lobbyist for the hospital saying the institution has seen its workers assaulted more frequently. The increase in violence prompted the medical center to pursue legislation that would make any attack on a healthcare worker in Idaho a felony, but state legislators recently rejected the proposal in a tied vote. Current Idaho law dictates all attacks on hospital personnel are misdemeanor crimes punishable by at most six months in jail and a $1,000 fine. State Rep. Luke Malek, the bill's sponsor, said healthcare workers are obligated to treat everyone and are exposed to violent patients because of this. Many are typically seeking prescrip-


prescription drugs. It is estimated that 90% of assaults on workers at Kootenai Medical are reported to police, but the Coeur d’Alene hospital doesn’t track how many result in charges or convictions.


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In ‘Denial’ Over Violence? IAHSS Keynoter Suggests ‘Yes’


According to a 2012 study by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, hospital-based shootings are rare, but recent attacks in Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and California—and non-hospital gun violence in places like Colorado and New York—can attest to the number of lives affected by these deadly events. With each devastating occurrence, we ask the same questions: Why did it happen; could we have been better prepared; and how do we prevent it from happening again?


While predicting such events is nearly impossible, being prepared is not. Security experts from the Department of Homeland Security, various law enforcement agencies, and the International Association of Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) have noted some key recommendations to guide hospitals in preparing an Emergency Action Plan (EAP) for an active shooter event.


One key recommendation is to Stay informed. Draw on the expertise of both your staff and organizations such as the California Hospital Association, Hospital Association of Southern California, International Association of Healthcare Security and Safety, and American Society of Industrial Security. These organizations are sources of free and low-cost best practice materials, trainings and seminars, and practice drills. A recommended resource is the Department of Homeland Security’s IS 907 - Active Shooter: What You Can Do.


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