McKenzie Regional Hospital nurse arrested for stealing prescription drugs www.privateofficer.com

 

MCKENZIE, Tenn. May 20 2013 – A former nurse is in trouble, accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of prescription drugs from a local hospital.

McKenzie police said they believe he was at it about two years before anyone noticed the missing drugs. Investigators said hospital administrators have made changes to keep something like this from happening again.

Police said staff at McKenzie Regional Hospital did not notice anything was wrong, until they said Gene Dougherty came into work one day, under the influence.

“This nurse was actually named Employee of the Year, one year,” said Lt. Rick Sawyers of the McKenzie Polcie Department. “They said he was a very good worker, and they were all shocked when this happened.”

After an investigation, Dougherty was indicted last week by a Carroll County Grand Jury on theft of property of more than $10,000, one count of obtaining Scheduled II controlled substance by fraud, one count of obtaining Scheduled IV controlled substance by fraud, and Tenn-Care fraud.

“They decided to go back and check their records, and they found that over that two-year period, he had taken drugs on almost 900 different occasions, involving over 600 patients,” Sawyers said.

Police said Dougherty, who worked in the operating room, took the medications from an automated dispensing machine.

“The patient would always get the correct amount that the doctor had prescribed , while they were in the hospital, but he would add to that, to the prescription, and then he would keep the excess and that’s the way he covered his tracks for that period of time,” Sawyers said.

Investigators said Dougherty took mostly injection medications, but some were pills.

According to police, the medicine he is accused of taking is so strong, you can only get it from a hospital.

“He was a nurse. He took care of people, and you’re doing this while you’re taking care of people? No, that’s kind’ve messed up,” said resident Tonia Moore.

Dougherty was released from the Carroll County Jail on $5,000 bond.
His next court appearance is June 10.

source-wbbj.com

Dad arrested at hospital where his wife was giving birth www.privateofficer.com

 

COOKEVILLE TN May 14 2013 — A Spencer man was arrested at Cookeville Regional Medical Center Saturday after allegedly pulling a knife and threatening someone in a waiting room.

The accused, Tobby Ray Smith, 19, of Cane Cree Cumminsville Road, Spencer, ended up getting arrested for aggravated assault and having to leave the hospital, where his wife was giving birth, and go to jail.

It was around mid-day Saturday when Cookeville Police Officer Brian Long was dispatched to the hospital on a report that an aggravated assault had taken place in the labor/delivery waiting area.

Hospital security workers gave police dispatchers a description of the suspect, Tobby Ray Smith, and Officer Long found him standing on the corner of Cedar and 4th Street when he first arrived.

He handcuffed Smith and frisked him, locating a black pocket knife in his front pocket, the officer’s report says.

A hospital security officer and the alleged victim in the case filled Officer Long in on what had happened.

A Sparta man said he was with his wife and child in the labor/delivery waiting room when Tobby Ray Smith entered the room and began using vulgar language as he complained about the hospital.

The Sparta man asked Smith to “watch his language,” and that is when Smith allegedly pulled out his pocket knife and threatened to kill the Sparta man.

The Sparta man grabbed a nearby free-standing metal sign “to protect himself and his family,” the report says.

Smith then walked away and left the hospital.

Smith denied that he had pulled a knife in the incident, the officer said.

The two men had never met before that day, and Smith told the officer that his wife was in the hospital giving birth at the time that he was arrested.

“I asked him why he was standing out in the parking lot if his wife was giving birth and he stated that he was waiting on his mother to come from Chattanooga to pick him up,” the report says.

A hospital security officer told Smith “that he was not welcome back on the hospital grounds after this incident,” the report continues.

Smith was booked into the Putnam jail, where his bond was set at $10,000.

source-herald-citizen

Ky hospital secuirty officers wrestled armed man www.privateofficer.com

 

BOYLE COUNTY, Ky. May 10 2013 - Security officers at a Central Kentucky hospital found themselves in some tense moments Wednesday afternoon, after police say an armed man assaulted them.

It happened in the emergency room of Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center in Danville. Police say that security and 64-year-old Lynn Adams became involved in some type of confrontation and that Adams had multiple knives on him.

Security officers say that they had to use force to arrest him. He’s charged with menacing, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.

Police have not stated what started the ordeal.

St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital to outsource security department www.privateofficer.com

 

NEWBURGH NY May 9 2013 – St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital will replace its 37-member hospital-based security department with an outside security service.
“The hospital has been examining any and all processes for increased efficiencies,” hospital spokeswoman Tricia O’Malley said Tuesday. “We’ve identified an opportunity to provide equal or better services at reduced costs, and we’ve chosen to execute that option.”
The hospital has retained Apollo Security Services effective June 1, she said. Apollo provides security at four other hospitals that are, like St. Luke’s, members of the Hudson Health Partners consortium.
O’Malley said every member of the existing security staff will be offered an opportunity to interview for a job with Apollo.
The change affects both of the hospital’s campuses. The staff was notified of the planned changeover on April 24.
Source- recordonline.com

K-9 team member enhances hospital’s security force www.privateofficer.com

St. George Utah May 3 2013

Written by

Kristy Ann Pike

Live Well

If you’re visiting one of Dixie Regional’s campuses and come nose-to-nose with an 80-pound, pure-black German shepherd, don’t be alarmed. Unless you’re a bad guy.
Zeus is a K-9 member of Dixie Regional Medical Center’s safety and security department. Along with his handler, Jason Oliekan, Zeus patrols the hospital’s hallways, lobbies and grounds.
“Zeus’ main job is to protect our patients, staff and visitors,” said Kevin Greenhalgh, safety and security manager. “His presence acts as a deterrent to crime and can also help calm combative patients.”
Zeus is known for his especially keen tracking abilities, a gift that can help when searching for people or sniffing out trouble.
“Zeus has a natural ability at tracking,” Greenhalgh said. “Jason can give any type of scent to Zeus and then hide that item. Zeus is able to stay on track and locate the item quickly.”
When the thing being tracked is a suspect, Zeus is trained to corner the person and bark.
“Once he has them cornered, he won’t bite as long as the suspect is cooperative with security and doesn’t make any sudden movements,” Greenhalgh said.
Zeus has honed his natural abilities at Canine Training Academy in Canyon City, Colo., and is certified in search and rescue.
Security and police dogs are generally paired with a single handler.
“Zeus lives with Jason,” said Greenhalgh. “When Jason is out sick, Zeus is too.”
Police dogs require extensive training and have a working life of five to eight years. The Dixie State University Police Department has partnered with the hospital to sponsor Zeus, allowing him to be certified to the Utah State Police Academy Standards. In turn, Zeus is on-call should the university need his assistance.
Certified K-9 teams are somewhat rare.
“Zeus and Jason are one of only four teams in the Intermountain system, and the only Intermountain team located south of the Wasatch Front,” said Greenhalgh.
Zeus and Oliekan continue to train regularly with multiple local law enforcement agencies.
“Zeus provides a shared community resource,” said Greenhalgh, noting that Zeus’ predecessors at the hospital were used by other agencies to help secure public areas and aid in a bomb search.
Zeus wears an identifying vest when working.
“He’s naturally pretty sociable, which makes him a good fit in the hospital,” said Greenhalgh. “But like other service animals, it’s a good idea to ask the handler before approaching or petting Zeus when he’s at work.”
According to Greenhalgh, the hospital hopes to add additional dogs to the K-9 program in the future.
In an increasingly unpredictable world, “our goal is to help our patients, visitors and employees be and feel safe,” said Greenhalgh. “If you are at the hospital and see anything suspicious, require help securing your valuables or would like an escort to your vehicle, please contact hospital security.”

Security officer nabs Botsford Safety Award www.privateofficer.com

 

Farmington Hills MI May 3 2013 Botsford Hospital has named Security Officer Frank Lapasinskas as a recipient of its Safety Award.
Hospital security officers perform preventive functions everyday throughout the year. They help prevent fires, accidents, disorder, and theft, for example. They’re essentially in the prevention business.
While making his normal security check through the hospital’s many parking lots on a windy day, Lapasinskas saw a light pole in the visitor lot that seemed to be swaying more than it normally would, even on a windy day. On closer inspection, the 37-year veteran employee discovered that an anchor bolt was broken on the pole’s base. Lapasinskas placed an emergency call to Botsford’s Plant Management Department, and the pole was immediately secured.
Then, it was discovered that a second bolt was on the verge of pulling through the same pole’s base. Lapasinskas’ actions prevented potential loss of life or serious injury to pedestrians and considerable vehicular damage.
Botsford’s Safety Award recognizes employees’ contributions to the hospital’s safety initiatives. Safety is a pillar on which Botsford has built its clinical care.

Source: Observer & Eccentric

 

 

Nashville nurse arrested for being drunk at work www.privateofficer.com

NASHVILLE, TN April 30 2013
A nurse was arrested at Centennial Hospital over the weekend after police said she came to work drunk.
Police said the nurse, Brandy Dalton, was sent home from work on Saturday for allegedly being drunk.
According to the arrest warrant, employees at the hospital realized Dalton was intoxicated, so they sent her home in a taxi.
Police said she returned to work a short time later through the front entrance of the hospital.
When police searched Dalton, they said they found a marijuana pipe and marijuana residue in a pipe in her shirt pocket.
She is facing charges of drug possession and trespassing.

Source-WSMV

Former Pomerado Hospital employee charged with htreatening staff www.privateofficer.com

 

San Diego CA April 21 2013 A former employee of Pomerado Hospital in Poway has been arrested and charged with allegedly making death threats against hospital staff members, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department confirmed on Friday.

According to officials, Pomerado Hospital security staff contacted Poway deputies on Thursday to report several death threats to their hospital staff members posted on the business review website, Yelp.com.

The author of the online threats claimed to be a former Pomerado Hospital employee. Investigators say the man was posting threats against specific hospital staff members and indicated that firearms and possibly explosives would be used in attacks at the hospital.

Detectives from the Poway Sheriff’s Station and the Computer and Technology Crime High-Tech Response Team (CATCH) quickly launched an investigation to trace the source of the online threats.

Meanwhile, deputies also worked with Pomerado Hospital staff to augment security at the hospital as officials continued to track down a suspect.

At 11 p.m. on Thursday, detectives served a search warrant at a home in the 2500 block of Fenton Parkway in San Diego.

Officials say detectives seized several computers and firearms from the home during the search and arrested Jelann Miles, 26, on suspicion of making terrorist threats against the hospital staff.

Officials confirm that Miles is a former employee of Pomerado Hospital. His motive for the threats remains unclear.

Miles was booked into jail and is being held on $350,000 bail, deputies said. The case will now be submitted to the San Diego County District Attorney’s office for review.

source.nbcsandiego.com

Minnesota man charged in hospital assaults www.privateofficercom

 

Mankato MN April 17 2013

A Waseca man who was taken to the hospital in Mankato after being knocked unconscious by a police stun gun was arrested Wednesday morning for an Emergency Room assault.

Mankato police were called to the hospital at about 1:10 a.m. by a social worker who reported a Waseca police officer had been attacked. Hospital security officers had 50-year-old Jimmie Julius Herman handcuffed and lying face down on the floor.

The Waseca officer, John McGuire, reported Herman had been confronted by police at a bar in his city. During the confrontation, Herman was shot with a stun gun by another officer because he was assaulting McGuire, according to a criminal complaint filed in Blue Earth County District Court.

After being stunned, Herman fell to the ground in the bar and became unresponsive. An ambulance was called and the decision was made to bring Herman to Mankato for treatment. McGuire told Mankato officers he was assigned to follow Herman’s ambulance. He had to make sure Herman remained in custody if he was released from the hospital.

Herman was discharged, so McGuire approached him while he was getting dressed. McGuire said Herman wasn’t showing any signs of being agitated any longer, so he wasn’t prepared to have to defend himself. When McGuire walked up to talk to Herman, he was punched in the face without any warning, the complaint said.

McGuire was knocked to the ground by the blow. His tooth was chipped and his face was swollen, officer Gary Schnorenberg of the Mankato Department of Public Safety reported.

“Officer McGuire stated the punch caught him completely off guard and that he was seeing stars and the room started to spin,” the complaint said.

Corey Pudil, a hospital security guard, was standing in the doorway to Herman’s room when the alleged assault happened. He told officers he ran into the room and grabbed Herman to stop the attack on McGuire. Pudil said Herman grabbed him by the throat. Schnorenberg said there were scratches and red marks on Pudil’s neck and face when he arrived.

Herman continued to fight with local police officers and Lt. Jeff Wersal of the Blue Earth County Sheriff’s Department as they arrived at the hospital to help. A “spit hood” was placed over Herman’s head as the officers lifted him from the floor and attempted to put him in a wheelchair. Wersal delivered a “knee strike” to Herman to get him to sit down so he could be wheeled to a squad car.

Herman threatened to kill Wersal as he was being rolled out, the complaint said.

Two Emergency Room nurses witnessed the initial assaults of McGuire and Pudil. When they were interviewed by Mankato police, they gave the same description of what happened as McGuire and Pudil.

Herman appeared Thursday in Blue Earth County District Court Thursday for felony charges of third-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and making terroristic threats.

source- Waseca County News

Man assaults nurses, security guards; dies suddenly www.privateofficer.com

 

SPARTANBURG, S.C. April 16 2013—A man was involved in an altercation with family members and assaulted nurses and hospital security guards before he died suddenly, according to a police incident report.

Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger notified WYFF late Friday night about the death of Ansel Dewayne Marlar, 46, died at Mary Black Hospital.

Clevenger said the investigation began after a short altercation between Marlar and his family that later involved security.

The incident report from the Sheriff’s Office said that Marlar had hit and kicked hospital security staff and had assaulted nursing staff. Marlar was insisting on leaving the hopsital, according to the report, and was yelling and cursing at the deputy, who told him to put on a T-shirt.

The report said the deputy handcuffed Marlar while the nursing staff was getting a wheelchair to transport him,

At that point, Marlar rolled himself onto his stomach and became unresponsive, according to the report. Shortly after, Marlar was pronounced dead.

The Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office asked SLED to take over the investigation of the case to avoid the appearance of any conflict, according Lt. Tony Ivey.

Ivey said Marlar had been a patient in the hospital prior to the altercation.

An autopsy Saturday was inconclusive, more tests are pending.

Read http://www.wyff4.

Man with meat cleaver arrested in Virginia Hospital Center assaults www.privateofficer.com

Arlington VA April 12 2013 A verbal altercation at an area hospital took a strange turn last week when an Arlington man pulled out a meat cleaver and used it in a threatening way, Arlington County police said Tuesday.
Kareem Jorif, 34, was arguing with staff at the Virginia Hospital Center on North George Mason Drive, last Friday around 5:30 p.m., police said.
He allegedly pulled a meat cleaver from his waistband and struck the door of a hospital room several times, police said. Jorif then allegedly threw the weapon toward the people inside the room, police said.
Police said Jorif was trying to visit a patient at the hospital.
Hospital security personnel detained him until police arrived. Jorif was arrested and charged with five counts of attempted malicious wounding and carrying a concealed weapon.

Shooting suspect escapes UNC hospital www.privateofficer.com

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. April 8 2013 – A shooting suspect and victim escaped UNC Hospital after being injured in a Southern Pines shootout, according to police.

Larry Alexander Leverette had been airlifted to the trauma center at UNC Hospital immediately following the Friday afternoon shooting.

Police said he was shot four times and also returned fire at another suspect. Leverette had outstanding warrants for his arrest and was under the control and supervision of the UNC Police Department while being treated for his injuries. Saturday at 11:30 am, Leverette eluded UNC police and fled the hospital property.
Leverette is a 21-year-old black male with dreadlocks. He is 5’10″ and weighs 300 pounds. He has three gunshot wounds in his torso and one in his left bicep Leverette may have left Chapel Hill in a red Jeep Grand Cherokee which was recovered at the Southern Pines shooting scene on Saturday at 2 p.m. On Friday, police found Leverette with a weapon on Coats Street around 1:30 p.m.

A second victim also had several gunshot wounds and was taken to Moore County Regional Hospital. Police believe Leverette and the other shooting victim knew each other. Two semi-automatic handguns have been recovered.

Later Friday night around 10 p.m., crews responded to a fire at an apartment on Richards Street that was considered to be part of the shooting crime scene. Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire. Anyone who spots Larry Alexander Leverette is asked call 911 immediately. He is considered to be armed and dangerous.
Source:WTVD

Violence prompts calls to arm hospital security officers www.privateofficer.com

Australia April 1 2013 Security guards want to carry guns in hospital emergency departments to protect the public and themselves from violent and drugged patients.

The Health Services Union has renewed a push for weapons, saying that hospitals were becoming increasingly dangerous. But the Australian Nursing Federation and the Australian Medical Association have rejected the call, saying that weapons would only make emergency departments even more dangerous. Nurses want more highly trained security guards at hospitals, slamming the State Government for backing down on a $21 million security boost promised two years ago.

Health Services Union Victorian secretary Diana Asmar, who represents hospital security guards, said her members wanted the same weapons as Armaguard staff.

Ms Asmar said guards were already monitoring violent patients but had also been forced to collect cash on behalf of patients, who had been bringing thousands of dollars into emergency departments.

To have security guards carrying valuables, normally they would carry arms like Armaguard,” she said. Ms Asmar said the union would raise the matter with health authorities and take the matter to Fair Work Australia if it did not get an acceptable response. Recent examples of violence include: A PATIENT trashed Werribee Mercy Hospital emergency department;

A REGISTRAR at a Melbourne hospital was threatened by a visitor claiming to have an HIV-infected needle; THREE women bashed two security guards in the Royal Women’s Hospital emergency department;

A NURSE was hit on the head by a disturbed patient;

AN ELDERLY patient punched two nurses; and A PATIENT allegedly threatened nurses with a machete at a Melbourne emergency department. Nurses federation secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick admitted security was a problem at hospitals, but said armed guards were not the solution. “Numbers (of security guards) are more important than arms,” she said. “The Government said it would spend $21 million on security.

That’s another broken promise. All we got was $1.2 million for distress alarms.” AMA Victorian president Stephen Parnis said hospitals needed highly trained security staff who were part of the health care team and employed by the hospital. “You can’t have a security guard who one night has a job at a nightclub, and then moves to the hospital the next,” he said. He told 3AW radio this morning that the proposal was a “very bad idea”, and that the union was “sadly misinformed”. “It would be the best way to try and increase the risk of violence … if you put weapons on guards in hospitals,” he said.

“This is part of the health problem and it should be treated as a health problem – this isn’t a law enforcement issue. Dr Parnis told 3AW that alcohol was the biggest cause of violence on the wards. “Alcohol is in a class of its own in terms of the harm that it does,” he said. “It’s a bigger problem … than all the other drugs put together.” A 2011 parliamentary inquiry, prompted by the Coalition Government’s plan to put armed Protective Services Officers in emergency departments, rejected plans to give security guards guns. Victorian Government spokesman Ashley Gardiner said it was drafting new laws with harsher penalties for people who attacked emergency services staff.

Trumbull Memorial Hospital security officers nab puse snatcher www.privateofficer.com

Trumbull County OH March 31 2013 A Warren man is in the Trumbull County Jail after police say he stole a woman’s purse and was caught by Trumbull Memorial Hospital security guards.
Matthew Bohyer, 34, is facing theft and robbery charges after police said he grabbed a 62-year-old woman, threw her to the ground and stole her purse in the hospital’s parking lot.
Pursuing security guards caught up with Bohyer and held him until police arrived.

Bohyer is in the county jail facing a court hearing.

Security guards to clamp down on hospital smokers www.privateofficer.com

Halifax Canada March 29 2013 Health chiefs are considering using security staff to tackle the issue of people smoking outside Calderdale Royal Hospital.

All NHS buildings are smoke-free premises except in designated smoking shelters but the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS foundation Trust has received 17 formal complaints about smokers since April 2012.

The security teams could be deployed to move people smoking outside the hospital entrance to the shelters.

The information came to light in a report to the board of the Trust’s board of directors. Complaints from the public said they felt like they were “running the gauntlet” through smokers and that car parks are littered with cigarette ends.

The action plan was approved as recommended and the Trust’s smoking policy will be enforced going forwards.
Source-Halifax Courier

St. John security staff use Taser on unruly patient www.privateofficer.com

Longview WA March 24 2013 Security guards at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center used a Taser to subdue a 23-year-old Kelso-area transient early Wednesday morning after he became disorderly and was kicked out of the hospital, police said.

Justin Anthony Howe admitted himself to the hospital early Wednesday for an “unknown medical reason,” Longview police spokesman John Reeves said. A short time later, Howe refused to let staff members treat him and became disorderly.

Security staff escorted Howe outside where Howe threatened to assault them. Howe then threw a book at one security guard and lunged at them, Reeves said. One of the guards shocked Howe with his Taser. Police were called to the hospital just after the incident, around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to a dispatch report. Howe was booked into the Cowlitz County Jail on suspicion of fourth-degree assault and interfering with a health care facility.

Howe was arrested earlier this month on suspicion of obstructing, harassment, shoplifting and first-degree trespassing after he was accused of stealing two pairs of socks from Macy’s in Kelso’s Three Rivers Mall, then swinging a metal bar at security staff as he tried to flee.

source-TDN.com

Elderly man kills wife, self in Pa. hospice unit www.privateofficer.com

Lehigh Valley PA March 22 2013 An elderly man who shot and killed his 83-year-old wife in an eastern Pennsylvania hospice unit Tuesday, then committed suicide, had apparently decided he couldn’t live without her, authorities said.

Staff members heard gunshots on the fourth floor of Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown shortly after 1 p.m. When they entered the room where the shots were fired, they found Mildred Osman dead in her bed, along with the body of 86-year-old Elwood Osman, said Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin.

The shooting “preliminarily appears to be a murder-suicide,” Martin said. The Lehigh County coroner’s office said autopsies on both are scheduled for Wednesday. James Geiger, senior vice president of the hospital, was asked at a news conference if Mildred Osman’s shooting death appeared to be a “mercy killing.”

“It’s a love story,” Geiger responded. “The elderly gentleman could not bear to see his wife suffering, and the family, I believe, have observed that he just could not envision living without her.” He said he didn’t know of any note left behind. No other patients or staff members were harmed or threatened, and the hospital wasn’t evacuated, officials said.

“This is a very tragic event and our hearts go out to the family of the deceased and our Lehigh Valley Health Network colleagues who were involved,” said Chuck Lewis, the hospital’s senior vice president of external affairs. No one witnessed the shooting, and the man gave hospital staff no indication that he was about to harm his wife, who had entered hospice more than a week ago, said police Capt. Glen Dorney.

“The first thing that drew their attention was the sound of the gunshot,” he said. “They heard a second gunshot and came to investigate.

” Like most hospitals, Lehigh Valley Hospital doesn’t use metal detectors to screen visitors, though wands are used when hospital security has reason to believe a patient has a weapon, Geiger said.
Source: Freemont Tribune

Hospital Identity Theft Found at Some South Florida Hospitals www.privateofficer.com

Miami Fla March 22 2013 Pictures taken in February and March of 2012 show Alci Bonannee and Chante Mozley, two convicted identity thieves, withdrawing cash from several banks in Broward County.

The federal government says the money came from stolen tax refunds that belonged to people like Miami resident Joseph Szot.

“When I filed a return, the accountant told me you can’t file because somebody filed already,” Szot said.

And just how did Bonannee and Mozley get Szot’s tax refund? Federal authorities said it happened while he was a patient at South Miami Hospital.

The pair is accused of paying respiratory therapist Betty Cole for patients’ personal information including their social security number. Internal Revenue Service Special Agent in Charge of the Miami office Tony Gonzalez said: “The bad guys that are able to get these social security numbers are buying them from employees that work at these hospitals and these medical centers which are sold up to $150 each.”

The breach at South Miami Hospital happened between June of 2011 and February 2012 and affected 834 patients.

In a statement, Baptist Health which operates South Miami Hospital, said “the employee was terminated, and efforts are underway to prosecute this individual to the fullest extent possible.”

NBC 6 reached out to that employee, Betty Cole, but she didn’t want to talk to the Team 6 Investigators.

The south Miami case is the latest hospital ID theft to surface in South Florida. Since 2009, the Department of Health and Human Services has received reports that hundreds of thousands of patients have been affected by breaches at hospitals across South Florida. The hospitals with the largest breaches include Memorial Healthcare System with 111,650 patients affected, the University of Miami Health System with 66,065 people, Mount Sinai Medical Center with 2,600 patients and Jackson Health System with 2,062 patients.

Although many hospitals have had more breaches, a federal act called HITECH only requires that medical centers report breaches that affect more than 500 patients. Gonzalez said they’ve seen a case where “gentleman who provided a service of taking elders home after being seen at a hospital, would cut their little tabs off their wristbands and with the patient number, walk into the hospital, look at the computer and get a social security number without ever being an employee of that hospital.”

In April of last year, Memorial Healthcare System in Hollywood notified about 9,500 patients that two employees were fired because they may have inappropriately accessed their personal information with the intent to process fraudulent tax returns. In a statement, Memorial said it “continues to enhance its security controls and monitoring systems, limit user access in all physicians’ offices, and has reinforced the importance of the privacy and confidentiality of patients’ information with its staff and affiliated physicians’ employees.”

Last year, Jackson North had a breach that affected over 500 patients. Ed O’Dell, the spokesperson for Jackson Health system says in that case it “was a volunteer in a patient care area and he was apparently taking pictures of patient information.”

Since then, Jackson has implemented new rules for volunteers prohibiting them from using smartphones in patient areas. Linda Quick, President of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association, a trade association, said the industry is not immune to breaches. She told NBC 6: “proportionate to the number of people who are seen in our member institutions, it’s not pervasive in any way.”

Szot doesn’t blame South Miami Hospital. He said he believes companies in general should find a way to reduce the risk of security breaches.

“I think corporations use Social Security numbers too much for identifying you, putting the information out to too many people,” he said.

The IRS said hospitals have been cooperating with them to combat identity theft, a growing crime.

So how can you avoid becoming a victim at a hospital?

“You do not have to provide your Social Security number, but you do have to provide enough information for you to be distinguishable from other people,” Quick said.

A hospital may still require your social security number to verify coverage if your insurance provider only identifies you that way, but experts say you should ask questions before handing your number over.

“You don’t always have to give it. If they ask for it, make sure that there’s a valid reason to receive it, but it doesn’t often have to be given,” Postal Inspector Blanca Alvarez said.

The IRS says identity theft affects many industries, not just hospitals. According to HHS reports, health insurance companies have had breaches affecting millions of Floridians.

Source: NBC6

Hospital security carts’ ignition broken before taken www.privateofficercom

CORPUS CHRISTI TX March 13 2013— Someone busted the ignitions on three Christus Spohn Hospital Shoreline security golf carts early Monday to joy ride them through nearby Cole Park before crashing two into the bay and one on the shoreline, officials said.

A passer-by who saw them contacted authorities,Corpus Christi police said.

One was found in the water near the park’s pier, another was at Oleander Point, and the third between, said Capt. Michael Alanis, spokesman for Corpus Christi Police Department. The carts were taken between 12:30 and 2 a.m., from a parking area at the hospital, said Steven Alford, a spokesman for the hospital.

The two in the water were a complete loss, Alford said. The other was taken to a repair shop. Their value is between $3,000 and $4,000 each, he said.

“It hurts our security patrol,” Alford said. “But we do have security vehicles and are stepping up foot patrol until they are replaced.” Source: Caller.com

Man arrested for shooting inside of Maria Parham Medical Center www.privateofficer.com

HENDERSON, N.C. March 10 2013 – A man is facing charges in Henderson after he allegedly fired a gun inside the Maria Parham Medical Center Thursday evening. Around 6 p.m., officers — who were already at the hospital conducting security of a mental patient — said they heard a gunshot come from a restroom in the emergency room.

No one was hurt.

Police arrested 29-year-old Jan-Michael Vincent Lassiter at the scene and charged him with discharging a firearm into occupied property, carrying a concealed weapon, going armed to the terror of the public, injury to personal property, disorderly conduct, discharging a firearm in the city limits, and concealing a handgun after consuming alcohol.

Lassiter is currently in the Vance County Jail under a $60,000 bond.

Source:WTVD

Danbury hospital uses radio frequency identification system to reduce the risk of abduction www.privateofficer.com

DANBURY, Conn. March 8 2013—Danbury Hospital has deployed a radio frequency identification system to reduce the risk of abduction for the 2,500 babies born there each year. The hospital, part of the Western Connecticut Health Network, added RF Technologies’ Safe Place Infant Security Solution to its physical security measures within the past year, said Andrea Rynn, director of government and public relations for WCHN. Three floors at Danbury Hospital are protected with Safe Place, including the family birthing and pediatric units. The system uses lightweight transmitters and patent-pending technology with multiple measures of tamper detection, RF said. The water-resistant transmitter is comfortably secured around an infant’s ankle using the softest banding on the market. Staff can easily monitor each baby via automated software that alerts them if an ID band is loose, has been tampered with, or has been removed. “One of the reasons WCHN decided on Safe Place was that if a band is cut or the transmitter is missing, the system automatically locks down the unit and provides notification to nursing and security staff,” Eric Goodsell, RF project leader, said in a prepared statement. The system automatically locks doors and notifies staff of a potential security threat if an infant wearing a transmitter comes within range of a monitored exit. Rynn told Security Director News that the RFI system has been welcomed by both staff and parents. “The staff in the maternity ward feels the system is working as designed, and parents are reassured that a safety initiative is in place,” she said. Source-SDN

Hospital security officer gives toys to calm children’s fear www.privateofficer.com

AMERICAN FORK Utah March 3 2013 — Going to the emergency room can be a scary thing for a child, but one hospital security guard is making things a little easier for the young patients.

Peter Mills has worked the overnight shift at American Fork Hospital for the past seven years. In that time, he’s seen a lot of scared kids come into the ER.

He’s found a way to combine both his love of collecting toy cars and making children smile. “The kids just love it when he gives them a car. They just light up,” said nurse Diane Warburton.

“He’s this big scary guy, but then he hands them a little car. It just makes their day.” Each night at work, Mills goes above and beyond his job description. At the beginning of every shift, he starts by lining up some of his beloved toy cars, getting them ready for any sick boy or girl that might come through the door. “I’m a car guy,” Mills said. “It’s plain and simple. I love cars. The big ones, the little ones, the toy ones, the real ones.” But it’s the toy ones that have made him a favorite among the nurses.

“He’s all rough on the exterior, but he’s a soft marshmallow on the inside,” Warburton said. Parents appreciate the thoughtfulness, too. Cindy Fisher is the mother of a young patient who received a car from Mills. Both mother and daughter were moved by the gesture.

“That he would come in with cars is just awesome, because she loves cars,” Fisher said. Mills says it was his own bad experience visiting the emergency room as a child that inspired him. Back then, they would put you in bed and put you in traction. I was in traction for three weeks,” Mills said.

“They forgot to feed me a lot. They would put the food beside the bed and walk off.”
He wants to make sure every child leaves feeling not just better physically, but emotionally. Mills estimates he’s given away about 300 toy cars. Now that his personal collection is dwindling, he’s dipped into his own pockets.

So far, he’s spent about $300 to keep up the tradition. “When you give a kid one and he really enjoys it, makes him feel better for a while. … That’s a pretty kindness. You can spend a lot more and not get that kind of smile,” Mills said.

If you would like to donate toward the cause, you can do so through the *Utah Valley Healthcare Foundation.
Source: KSL.com

Charleston SC hospital security scrutinized www.privateofficer.com

CHARLESTON, S.C. Feb 28 2013  – A man will spend more than three years in prison after he escaped from the Berkeley County Jail last year and hid in a Myrtle Beach hospital. James Sanders pleaded guilty in court Monday to domestic violence, failure to stop for police and escape. Authorities said Sanders pretended to be the brother of a comatose patient for two weeks after his escape. His plot came to an end when that patient woke up and notified authorities. That’s only one incident bringing hospital security into questions. Earlier this year, a gunman walked into an Alabama hospital and injured three people. How secure are the Lowcountry’s hospitals? Hospitals are a microcosm of society – a public space with thousands of people coming in and out all day. “All hospitals have open doors. It is difficult to secure what is essentially an open place,” said Trident Health’s director of security, Michael Shirey. Shirey says the North Charleston hospital recently spent $300,000 on security upgrades. “You don’t have to look past the evening news to see the terrible things that could happen, so we put our systems in place and our procedures in place to prevent these things from coming here and to protect the people we have inside our walls,” he said. And though Shirey said no major security incident has happened, they have to be prepared for one. “This is all preventative,” he said. “We have not had big problems; we just don’t want them to come here.” Some of the upgrades include a new nighttime visitor check-in system. “At night, ever single person who walks in to visit this hospital has to have their picture taken and check their name against people who have committed offenses just to make sure we know who is in our hospital all the time,” said Shirey. The most secure place of all is the maternity ward.
“To gain entry into the labor and delivery floor, you have to gain entry by pressing this button,” he said, adding that only people on a list provided by the mother can grant you access to the secure area. “Security in a hospital is of pretty significant importance because we have a population of people here who can’t necessarily provide for their own safety and security.” Security is also a top priority at Roper Hospital in downtown Charleston, where former law enforcement officer Brad Payne keeps patients safe and secure. “It’s just like a city inside a building during the daytime, but we do have people in and out all night, families all night, so we do have issues from time to time but nothing too serious,” Payne said. Even with the around-the-clock access controls, video surveillance and advances identity check-in systems, Payne says when violence hits the community, the hospital is on alert. “There is always heightened awareness when you have events occur like Sandy Hook or Ashley Hall, but we do have operations and procedures and plans in place to handle those types of incidents,” he said. At the end of the day, it comes down to hospitals choosing to be proactive instead of reactive to protect those who can’t always defend themselves. Both Trident and Roper hospital security directors say they have looked into getting metal detectors for their hospitals, which they say could become a new reality for hospital security in the future.
Medical University Hospital issued the following statement on hospital security: We have a high level of security with more than 25,000 people coming on and off campus daily to make sure the campus is safe to the best of our ability. We take our security measures very seriously and have developed an interagency, prevention-based system to deal with any emergency or threat. Highlights of the system include:

• MUSC has a substantial public safety and security workforce, operating 24/7.
• University Police provide protection of external areas and perimeters.
• There is a visible security presence and roving security officers in the key areas of Medical Center facilities, such as the emergency department.
• Security visitor and employee badge system are in place to identify occupants and additional identification via extensive electronic surveillance systems (more than 300 cameras) for those without a badge.
• The hospital has an extensive emergency notification system, including close working relationships with local law enforcement agencies.
• Emergency Department includes police presence; as needed, metal detectors are activated.
• The external areas surrounding the Emergency Department may be brightly illuminated on demand.
• MUSC Medical Center staff is educated to call in for security assistance and to how to respond to security needs. Timely response of suspicious or inappropriate activity is provided throughout MUSC. All hospital staff are trained to identify suspicious behaviors.
• Ongoing risk assessments are conducted to identify potential problems to reduce and prevent crimes and incidents.
• MUSC Medical Center has an active Workplace Violence Prevention Program, in order to eliminate or reduce the threat of adverse events.
• The MUSC police department and Medical Center security operations are fully accredited by appropriate accrediting bodies.

East Cooper Medical Center issued the following statement: Dick Hayes, Director of Plant Operations and Security Officer for East Cooper Medical Center issued the following list of security measures currently in place at the hospital.

• Policies and procedures are in place to address threats
• Security guards are on duty 24/7
• Cameras are monitored 24/7, interior and exterior
• Sensitive areas of the hospital have controlled access
• Up to date security measures are in place on Women’s Services
• All employees are required to wear badges
• Badges are issued to all visitors and vendors

Source:  WCIV

Hand sanitizer and static electricity may have created a fire that burned a girl www.privateofficer.com

PORTLAND OR Feb 20 2013 — Hand sanitizer and static electricity may have created a fire that burned a girl earlier this month at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
Doctors have been treating an 11-year-old girl after she caught fire in her hospital bed on February 2, as first reported in the Oregonian.
Ireland Lane was in the hospital after falling and hitting her head at her Klamath Falls home. She was reportedly making crafts for the nurses when she ran into the hallway engulfed in flames.
“That this would happen anywhere, much less our hospital, was just awful,” said Stacy Nicholson, M.D. of Doernbecher Children’s Hospital. “Our hearts go out to the child and her family.”
Ireland’s father Stephen, who was asleep in the room at the time, ran into the hallway and jumped on his daughter to smother the flames.
The state fire marshal has been investigating the incident. The cause is unknown, but one scenario involves the static electricity and flammable hand sanitizer.
Nicholson says what happened was unusual. He said the hospital plans to make changes if investigators determine the hospital was at fault.
In the meantime, Ireland has a long recovery ahead.
She suffered third-degree burns to 18 percent of her body. Doctors at Legacy Emanuel Burn Center were treating her.
Ireland’s mom Danielle is confident that she will be okay.
“She has her faith,” she said.

Man shot by police at hospital was fugitive, robbery suspect www,privateofficer.com

PORTLAND OR Feb 20 2013 — The man shot and killed by officers at Portland Adventist hospital Sunday was a fugitive on the run from U.S. Marshals, and was wanted for a bank robbery in Clackamas, police said.
Merle M. Hatch, 50, was a career criminal with arrests in California, Arizona and Colorado on a variety of charges including homicide, burglary, bank robbery and theft, according to Portland police.
Hatch was also the suspect in a February 15 robbery at the Wells Fargo bank in the 12000 block of Sunnyside Road, Sgt. Adam Phillips of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday afternoon.

Hatch was released from the Sheridan Federal Detention Facility on February 12, 2013. He was listed as a fugitive when he failed to report to a halfway house in Colorado.
Officers were called around 9:30 Sunday evening to the hospital after a report of a man with a gun in the courtyard, according to police bureau spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson. As officers were on the way, they initially were told the suspect was a patient.
The man told a staff member that he had a gun and would use it on the employee, before demanding the employee lead him to the exit, a hospital spokesperson later said.
The hospital initiated what’s called a “Code Silver,” which means a staff member has seen an armed, combative person on premises, said hospital spokeswoman Judy Leach.
The suspect left alone, and hospital security saw him outside on hospital grounds.
The suspect was in the employee parking lot, and had pointed the gun at a security guard’s vehicle, Simpson said. Officers “encountered the suspect in the PAMC employee parking lot and began giving him commands.”
Three officers fired shots at Hatch, who fell to the ground, according to the police report. Officers administered first aid and called for paramedics. He was later pronounced dead.
The three officers involved in the shooting were all assigned to the East Precinct: Sergeant Nathan Voeller a 12-year-veteran; officer Andrew Hearst, a 3-year-veteran; and officer Royce Curtiss, a 7-year-veteran.
Phillips said surveillance images (pictured, above) show Hatch was responsible for the Wells Fargo robbery

source-kgw

Ky hospital security officer attacked www.privateofficer.com

DANVILLE, Ky. Feb 20 2013 – A hospital security guard ended up in the hospital after being attacked.
Danville Police say that on the night of Saturday, February 16, officers responded to an alarm at Ephraim McDowell Diagnostic Center, located on Southtown Drive. Officers checked the premises and found it to be secure. 20 minutes later, there was a second alarm at the Diagnostic Center. Upon checking with Ephraim McDowell, they told police that their security officer was on scene checking the building. 20 minutes after that, Danville Police Department were dispatched to Ephraim McDowell Medical Center to investigate an assault on one of their security officers.
Security Officer Bobby Potts stated to investigators that he was checking the outside doors of the building when someone struck him in the back of the head and shoved him down the stairs. Potts was treated for minor injuries at Ephraim McDowell Medical Center.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to contact the Danville Police Department at (859) 238-1220.

Source: WKYT

Police shot-killed armed patient at Adventist Medical Center www.privateofficer.com

PORTLAND OR Feb 19 2013 —

Police were call to the Portland Adventist Medical Center Sunday night after a man pointed a gun at security officers.

Portland police said someone in the courtyard was reported to be armed with a black handgun around 9:30 p.m. As officers were on the way, they learned the suspect was a patient.

Officers shot and killed the suspect in a confrontation according to police bureau spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson.

The suspect was in the employee parking lot, and had pointed the gun at a security Simpson said. Officers “encountered the suspect in the PAMC employee parking lot and began giving him commands.

Three officers fired shots at the suspect, who fell to the ground, according to police.

Officers administered first aid and called for medics. The unidentified male suspect was later pronounced dead. An autopsy was scheduled for Tuesday morning.

The hospital initiated what’s called a “Code Silver,” which means a staff member has seen an armed, combative person on premises, said hospital spokeswoman Judy Leach.

The three involved officers are all assigned to the East Precinct: Sergeant Nathan Voeller a 12-year-veteran; Officer Andrew Hearst, a 3-year-veteran; and Officer Royce Curtiss, a 7-year-veteran.

Marcus Beck was nearby at the time and told KGW he heard nine shots fired.

“We appreciate the vigilance of individuals who helped keep this a safe community,” Leach said.

Police do not know why the patient armed himself or what started the incident.

Newport hospital patient assaults security officer www.privateofficer.com

Newport RI Feb 6 2013 Local police have arrested Christopher J. Thompson, 33, of 25 Chapel St., Newport, RI for assaulting a hospital security officer.
The incident occurred at the Newport Hospital around 11:05 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 4.

Police were dispatched to Newport Hospital for a report that Thompson had assaulted security.
The officer said Thompson became angry, got out of bed and charged at security.
Reports said Thompson struck him twice in the face while he was being restrained.
Thompson was charged for a simple assault charge.

Drunk patient flees in stolen ambulance www.privateofficer.com

BOAZ, AL Jan 29 2013
Boaz Police say a man injured in a wreck stole an ambulance after being transported to the emergency room.
The initial wreck happened Friday in Sardis. Investigators say the man, 24-year-old Matthew Todd of Boaz, was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Authorities said Todd convinced the staff to go outside for a smoke break but ditched the cigarette and just made a break for it in an ambulance that was already running.
“He got the ambulance stuck at the end of Bernard Street and after that, he entered a barn and a connected pasture and tried to saddle two horses,” said Boaz Police Chief Todd Adams.
When that failed, he stole an SUV and crashed and totaled it. He found a second vehicle, stole it and drove home.
Boaz Police found the ambulance on Bernard Street in Boaz the next morning.
On Saturday, Todd returned to the ER for treatment from the wounds he suffered from the initial crash.
“And that’s when the ER staff and medics called us and said that’s the guy that stole our ambulance,” said Adams.
In a statement in regard to possible policy changes, Marshall Medical Center South said because they didn’t believe Todd was a threat to himself or others, they won’t review the procedures.
However, AMED Ambulance Service said they will review their policies. In a statement, they admitted they never imagined anyone taking off in one of their ambulances, and they don’t plan on it happening again.
Todd is in the Marshall County Jail on a $7500 bond for his series of get-away attempts, charged with two counts of auto theft and one count of burglary..
Charges are also pending against him for the initial crash that put him in the hospital.

Source:WAFF

Healthcare Facility Public Safety-Related Deaths Reached All-Time High in 2012 www.privateofficer.com

Washington DC Jan 29 2013 Last year holds the dubious distinction of being the year with the greatest number of fatalities reported by International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) members since the association began surveying its members nearly 20 years ago. Eight homicides were reported among member facilities during 2012.
According to Dr. Victoria Mikow-Porto, the principal researcher and writer on the recently-released 2012 Crime and Security Trends Survey underwritten by the Foundation of the IAHSS, healthcare facility crime increased in nearly every category since the most recent survey in 2010, with a significant rise in the number of simple assaults, larceny and thefts, vandalism, and rape and sexual assaults. It’s also the highest number of crimes ever recorded in the history of the IAHSS Crime Survey, with 20,515 crimes reported: an increase of 5,524 compared to 2010.
Additionally, 98% of healthcare facilities now experience violence and criminal incidents. Porto attributes the surge to a number of factors, among them:

Greater access to weapons, particularly guns
Generally 24/7, open access to an expanding number of large and small healthcare complexes
long, frustrating waits in emergency rooms
Increased size and violence of gangs, and carry over of gang warfare into HCFs
Deinstitutionalization of psychiatric patients who are unable or unwilling to take meds
Increasing treatment of forensics patients who are at high risk for violence
Rise in substance abuse and easily-accessed hospital pharmacies
“It’s important for the public to know that, by and large, healthcare facilities are safe places; homicides, while rising, are still considered statistically rather rare events like a school shooting,” she reassures. “When these violent incidents do occur, they impact everyone and make us all afraid.”
Porto points out that the numbers of criminal, violent and aggressive incidents are based on reported crimes, adding that the U.S. Department of Justice estimates that at least half of all crimes go unreported.
“If that’s the case, these statistics are truly huge” she says of the 2012 Crime Survey.
While the need for accurate crime statistics is obvious, Porto claims that the collection of data is hampered because of litigation concerns faced by healthcare facilities over potential liability. She urges legislation to hold harmless such institutions for the purpose of encouraging comprehensive reporting of incidents, and the standardization of crime definitions to further enhance accuracy.
Although crime, especially violent crime, has been on a downward trend in the US since 1993, the same cannot be said of healthcare facilities. However, with the latest report from the Department of Justice finding the crime rate for 2011 grew by 18%, Porto speculates that “now maybe what’s going on in society at large is reflecting what’s been happening for some time in healthcare facilities.”
The impact of the increased criminal activity is reflected in results throughout the survey. There were more healthcare facility requests for outside police assistance than in 2010; more security guards with sworn police powers; and an uptick in the number of security and safety professionals hired by healthcare facilities.
“It is of special concern that the greatest rise in calls for outside law enforcement assistance was in the category of ‘more than 75 times’ in the past year,” Porto points out.
So what can hospitals do about this trend? Porto highlights a few of the risk factors that she sees trending higher: greater availability of guns, more gang violence being carried over into the hospital itself, and increased numbers of forensic patients being treated by regular hospitals because prisons have closed down or reduced their own healthcare facilities.
“It boils down to the same issues as gun violence in general: if we want safer facilities, what do we need to do to make them safer?” Porto asks, adding “just arming more people is not necessarily the right answer.”
When asked what policies can help reduce healthcare facility crime and violence, Porto lists more vigilant surveillance of people entering hospitals, use of restraints on patients most at risk of being violent, metal detectors to reduce presence of weapons, and training in violence de-escalation for personnel in high risk areas, to name a few.
Porto believes the public has a role to play as well: “What is the public’s choice about improving safety? Metal detectors and purse searches, or an attractive inviting lobby where it’s not quite so safe?” she asks. Cost is also clearly a factor in implementing such initiatives, particularly the more advanced surveillance and alarm technologies that are becoming available.

Source:Campus Safety Magazine