OVERVIEW

From small rural community hospitals to large urban teaching medical centers, health care facilities are charged with providing medical treatment within safe environments for patients, staff, and visitors. Along with essential community roles as health providers, medical center personnel and facilities may be called upon as "first responders" to disasters, mass casualties, or life-threatening situations on a moment's notice. Ongoing operations, peak performance, life safety, and survival are among the primary security planning goals.

Security and safety issues have always been a major concern in health care facilities. Natural disasters, from blizzards and heat waves to earthquakes, tornadoes, and hurricanes, can result in scores of injured victims and rescuers requiring immediate treatment converging upon an emergency room within a relatively short period of time, with little advance warning.

The events of September 11, 2001 raised new issues relating to security and health care facilities, with terrorism, violence, and biochemical warfare among the most pressing concerns. Greater global interaction and routine intercontinental travel can facilitate the spread of major outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, such as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and various new, unusual, and exotic flu strains. As threats and risks continue, the intensity of response and treatment increase, placing renewed...