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Preparing for VIP patients

Healthcare Security Weekly, May 8, 2006

Suppose a presidential candidate, an NBA point guard, or a guitarist from a famous band comes to your hospital.

The unexpected presence of such a high-profile guest in your hospital will surely attract a swarm of media. But does your hospital have a policy to calm the chaos and ensure that the proper information reaches only the proper channels? And does your hospital have trained staff to carry out the plan when and if it's called into action?

Hospitals hope to never encounter these questions, but the reality is that anyone can show up in your hospital at any time. Use these tips to create a policy to accommodate celebrity patients:

  • Make sure the plan works in the middle of the night, not just during the day
  • Provide routes of entry and exit "off the beaten path" for VIPs
  • Identify VIP patients and any existing threats against them
  • Determine treatment locations and medical contacts for those locations.
  • Work in unison with medical staff so the patient's healthcare is not compromised while focusing on his or her safety and security

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