After fatal Pennsylvania hospital shooting, security gains more attention

In the days since the horrific deadly shooting at UPMC Memorial Hospital, leaders of health systems have been talking about ways to bolster security.

A police officer was fatally wounded and five other people were shot and wounded at UPMC Memorial Hospital just outside York, Pennsylvania Saturday.

A gunman killed a police officer and shot and wounded five others, including three UPMC staffers and two police officers, Saturday morning. Another UPMC staffer was injured in a fall. Authorities said the gunman entered the hospital and targeted the ICU, holding staff hostage before eventually being killed by police.

Dan Yaross, the president of the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety, told Chief Healthcare Executive® that the UPMC Memorial tragedy is certainly prompting conversations about ways to protect patients, staff and visitors.

“I think more and more healthcare leaders, the C-suite, are asking their senior security leaders, what else can we do to make our environment safer,” Yaross said in an interview Tuesday.

“Every organization is probably trying to learn from this unfortunate event,” he said.

Several other fatal shootings have occurred at hospitals in the past few years, and those incidents have driven more discussions about bolstering security. Yaross said those conversations also picked up following the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.

“More and more people are now taking executive protection a little more seriously within health care because of that incident,” Yaross said.

‘Wide variance’ in security

Yaross said he isn’t aware of UPMC’s security posture, and even if he was, he said it wouldn't be his place to discuss specifics about the organization.

Speaking generally, he said hospital security leaders across the industry would want to take lessons from the event, including how the gunman gained access inside the facility with a firearm.

York County District Attorney Tim Barker said at a news conference Saturday that the shooter, Diogenes Archangel-Ortiz, 49, entered the hospital with a bag carrying a gun and zip ties.

The shooter “went straight to the ICU, and in the ICU, this individual went and held hostage members of the UPMC staff,” Barker said. Barker also said the shooter had been in contact with the hospital’s intensive care unit days before the incident about the care of another person.

A consultant with Security Risk Management Consultants, Yaross said he’s seen substantial differences in hospital security at facilities across the country.

“I find, as my colleagues do, a wide variance of the amount of security that they implement within their organizations,” Yaross said. “It really emanates from the security culture.”

Healthcare executives need to make sure security is a priority for everyone in the organization, with regular training of staff in security procedures and de-escalation.

“Some need more officers,” he explained. “Some need better training, in some cases, and some will do multiple solutions just to really provide the best safety and security, so their clinical and medical staff can provide world-class care for their patients. But they can't do that if they're worrying about watching their back.”

Yaross says that hospitals for years sought to create welcoming environments where everyone feels safe. He adds that it’s still possible, but hospitals need to ensure that they have a strong security culture with proper training.

“It still could be welcoming to provide a safe environment for your patients and visitors and your staff. There's a balancing act,” Yaross said.

• Read more: UPMC CEO on hospital shooting: ‘Our hearts are heavy’

‘Change is already happening’

Lester Mendoza, a physician’s assistant in UPMC Memorial’s ICU, said in a widely circulated post on Facebook that he had spoken with the shooter days before the incident and delivered the news that a loved one had died.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Mendoza said he saw Archangel-Ortiz as a man who was “simply broken.” Mendoza said that he never saw any indication that he would be dangerous.

“Grief, exhaustion, isolation, and a lack of mental health and social support services create cracks that people fall through. And when they do, the consequences can be catastrophic,” Mendoza wrote.

In his Facebook post that was shared more than 70,000 times, Mendoza wrote, “Healthcare is broken.” He added: “We are all exhausted. We are all suffering. And if we continuously ignore it, and accept it as the normal, there will be no positive growth or change.”

In another Facebook post Tuesday, Mendoza expressed some cautious optimism, as he said, “Real change is already happening—right here, right now.” While he said he didn’t expect changes overnight, he said it’s important to keep the momentum.

“I commend our leadership and administration for not only listening but taking action,” Mendoza said. “Their commitment to supporting us during this difficult time is making a difference. Changes are already being implemented to ensure our safety today, so we can continue to focus on serving our community tomorrow. One step in the right direction.”

‘An unacceptable risk’

Other hospitals and healthcare leaders expressed messages of support for UPMC Memorial, as well as hope that it would lead to change.

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, about 30 minutes away from UPMC Memorial, extended sympathies in a post on LinkedIn.

“This devastating event serves as a painful reminder of the threats of violence that healthcare workers face. It is an unacceptable risk that those who dedicate themselves to the sacred duty of caring for our community should never have to endure,” Penn Medicine said.

Other attacks in hospitals have gained attention in recent days. A nurse at HCA Florida Palms West Hospital was battered by a patient who broke “essentially every bone” in her face, The Palm Beach Post reported. The suspect has been charged with attempted murder. Hundreds of nurses gathered at a rally calling for greater protections.

Just a couple of hours away from UPMC Memorial, a security guard at Geisinger Community Medical Center was stabbed last week by an individual who was angry about not getting pain medication, The Times-Tribune of Scranton (Pa.) reported.

Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association, said after the UPMC Memorial shooting that hospitals are “sanctuaries of healing” and need to be safe places for staff and patients.

“We cannot allow these types of violent acts to persist,” Pollack said. “As a nation, we must unite and take decisive action to end this relentless cycle of violence."