Djeffri Setiawan, Channel Sales Manager – Oceania, Genetec, says deploying a digital evidence management system can make it easier for administrators to keep their finger on the security pulse in hospitals and healthcare settings.
Healthcare professionals are there to help and heal us when we’re in pain but unfortunately, in today’s times, its hardworking doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who can end up being hurt, badly in some instances.
Workplace violence against healthcare workers is on the rise globally, with threats ranging from verbal and emotional abuse through to physical injury and even death.
Unmet patient expectations, poor communication, long wait times and organisational factors, such as resourcing and infrastructure, are part of the problem, according to a 2024 eClinicalMedicine global study.
When frustration becomes aggression
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) highlighted the extent of the problem in the country late last year, when it called on governments and hospitals to introduce a range of measures to tackle workplace violence.
The call came in the wake of reports of surging assault rates in the Victorian public health service, with more than 20,000 violent incidents documented in the previous year.
‘It’s a sad fact that many frontline doctors can expect to become victims of workplace violence or aggression,’ AMA President Dr Danielle McMullen said in a statement.
‘Doctors see patients and their families at some of the most stressful times of their lives, and feelings of frustration, confusion, and anger are understandable, but when this frustration spills over into violence and aggression, it puts lives at risk,’ she noted.
Negative outcomes for healthcare workers and patients
The repercussions of an incident or attack can be wide-ranging and serious – from increased stress to sleep disturbance, anxiety, decreased job satisfaction and PTSD.
And healthcare professionals aren’t the only ones to suffer. Workplace violence in healthcare settings can have an adverse impact on other patients who have experienced or witnessed an attack, and on the standard of care they receive from affected doctors.
It’s a crisis that needs to be addressed, via the implementation of risk management systems to reduce the impact and instance of workplace violence, the AMA believes.
Investing in practices and platforms that keep people safe
More security personnel on the ground, particularly in settings such as Accident and Emergency, are likely to be part of the answer for healthcare services and providers seeking to mitigate this real and rising risk.
Digital surveillance systems, which allow employers to maintain a clear, comprehensive view of their facilities should be too, along with unified security technology, which brings data from multiple sources together via a single dashboard.
In addition to enabling security teams to respond more rapidly to incidents and accidents as they unfold, the footage captured by these arrays can be used to inform internal and police investigations.
Turning to technology to manage critical evidence
But assembling video footage and other digital evidence can be a time-consuming and laborious process, in the absence of the right tools.
That’s where digital evidence management software has a vital role to play. A centralised, secure repository for the collation and storage of video footage, photographs, incident reports and witness statements, it can be used to organise and link digital evidence to specific incidents. Put simply, a single chain of custody to share evidence with law enforcement bodies.
Security personnel can collect footage from surveillance cameras, upload it to the system and share it securely with internal investigators, law enforcement agencies, legal teams, insurers and authorised hospital staff.
Streamlining the evidence collection and management process allows healthcare providers to respond to incidents faster, deliver critical information to interested parties and utilise relevant, contemporary data to inform security planning and investment.
Looking after those who look after us
Australians are fortunate to have access to a well-functioning public healthcare system, one that’s the envy of our counterparts in countries where free, high-quality care isn’t universally available.
Providing more rigorous protection for the people who work in our public healthcare facilities will ensure they’re able to continue to deliver that care, with less fear they’ll be subjected to abuse or attack.
Digital evidence management software makes it easier for healthcare providers to manage incidents and extract data-driven insights that can be used to make workplaces safer, for healthcare professionals and patients alike. If that’s a priority for your healthcare organisation this year, it’s critical technology that warrants a place in your ICT stack.
