Hospital security is not up to the task of stakeholder protection. We know why American Hospitals are “soft targets†but why “desirable� The killing of substantial numbers of caregivers, patients and others in a hospital setting produces a“Terror Multiplier Effect†(TME) by the horror of the event and the secondary effect of destruction of pre-planned facilities expected to treat area casualties. In an earlier article we were challenged by many on the issue that American hospitals have been known targets for terrorism since 9/11m making emergency readiness more difficult.

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We have seen the risks posed by exposed radioactive materials (1/2 of the dreaded ‘Dirty Bomb’) in healthcare organizations and lack of preparedness for H1N1 on the doorstep. How do Healthcare Boards measure the personal risks for liability associated with “duty of care†for all-hazards events? Enterprise Risk Managers throw around terms like: “loss toleranceâ€; “emerging risksâ€; “return for risksâ€; “risk controls-avoidance-transfer-acceptance-offset†etc. As non-lawyers and healthcare professionals we look to others for guidance. The American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) should be a source for such guidance. A quick glance at the organization’s Annual Conference schedule gives us little comfort.

Full text of this article in the Examiner can be found here.