Metal Detectors in Hospitals

[anners11]

Two days ago the son of a former patient gunned down a Cardiothoracic surgeon at Bringham and Women's hospital while the physician was in the hospital seeing patients. Unfortunately Dr. Davidson died of his wounds and the gunman took his own life as well.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/one-person-hurt-seriously-in-shooting-at-boston-hospital-1421774598

I am an Emergency Medicine physician and this is my nightmare. All but one of the emergency departments that I have worked in have had metal detectors to get into the emergency department. The current hospital I work at does not have a metal detector and it makes me uneasy. I work in a fairly rural community and often have patient's who carry knives in to their rooms with them because they carry them on an every day basis. There are no firearms allowed on the premises but there's no one really checking so who knows.

This person came through the general entrance and there are very few hospitals that have metal detectors at all entrances. Most administrators say that having the metal detectors gives the wrong impression about the hospital and is frightening for patients and their families.

So I ask you, as a patent or visitor would you feel more or less safe if a hospital that you entered had metal detectors?

 

[JulieN]

Saw this yesterday, how terrible.

 

[missy]

Oh how horrible anners. What a tragedy. You guys have dedicated your life to saving others and then something this senseless happens. I am for metal detectors for this very reason. They have them in high schools near us and there is no reason not to have them at hospitals. If they can save one life it is worth it IMO. So sorry about his tragic death.

 

[ame]

I feel that with the way the "world is now" it's a necessary evil. So yes, I think they're something that we need. People have gotten in the mindset that everyone owes them something and that they can right the wrongs by taking someone or a group of people out with a gun...and there are so many people grappling with mental illnesses that are untreated. So if someone is mentally broken from grief or just mentally broken in general and feels they need to exact revenge on a doctor or a group of people, or a patient is being treated after their abusive spouse beat them within an inch of their life and their spouse finds out they didn't die and wants to finish the job and the only thing standing between them and successfully murdering their spouse is a metal detector? ALL FOR IT. If it MIGHT prevent someone from doing something insane, please stop them, or at least slow them down so more help can arrive to try to prevent it.

 

[Loves Vintage]

I would not object to metal detectors in hospitals; however, given that hospitals have so many entrances, this would have to be very costly to implement, but again to answer the question, as a visitor or patient, no objection at all from me.

The problem is that hospitals are not the only target of the non-stop gun violence in our society. Many schools do not have metal detectors. The malls don't. The movie theaters don't. I can't think of one business that does. Unfortunately, I don't know how much of a solution metal detectors would be.

I read about this particular tragedy earlier this morning. My heart hurts at the loss of Dr. Davidson, father of three and a baby on the way. Senseless and tragic. But, just another day in America . . .

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I live in a pretty safe suburban area. As far as I know our schools don't have metal detectors. The hospital that serves my area has been renovated and added on to, and is a gorgeous piece of 5 star hotel as you could find. If they choose to install metal detectors, my whole view of my neighborhood would change. I wouldn't like it at all, and yes I would become afraid.

If a hospital is in a high crime area as some neighborhoods in Chicago are, I would insist they have metal detectors, as they do in the schools.

Our courthouse has metal detectors, which I do understand, and there is a chain grocer that has metal detectors. because it has one of those banks inside, and robberies on the bank have occurred.

As with many things, it depends on the crime rate in your area. It is a terrible thing to be afraid at work or home. If it becomes necessary, I would probably accept it, but my views would be changed.

Sorry, you are afraid now. I know I might be too.


Annette

 

[Loves Vintage]

Following Annette's reply, there are some banks nearby that have guards stationed at the entrances because of frequent robberies at banks in this area, of which there are many. I honestly don't know if they are armed, but I assume they are, and I don't like their presence. They do not seem terribly alert either. I do not know what their training is, but I don't trust them. Maybe their presence is enough to deter crime, though. What do I know?

There is also a grocery store nearby. I usually shop there during the day. After like 5 or 6 pm, they have a police officer manning the interior front of the store. I do not care for that either. Seems very intrusive, but I'll take the cop over the presumably insufficiently trained guard any day.

 

[Rhea]

I don't think that having a metal detector would make me feel unsafe, but I would double-take. I don't recall seeing any in any of the hospitals I've been in. Rather than expensive tools such as metal detectors and enhanced security staff presence we just don't have guns.

 

[VRBeauty]

I've spent a lot of time in and around hospitals in the past few years, and I think of hospitals generally as being fairly low-risk for that type of violence. Emergency rooms are a whole nuther matter that you would know more about than I, but hospitals generally... well, I'm not sure metal detectors would be warranted.

That said, I don't think I'd feel less safe (well, maybe a little) if a hospital decided to install metal detectors. It could be a huge inconvenience and cost however. The local courthouse has metal detectors, as does the local federal building (which used to house the post office). There are usually at least two guards at the metal detector, so the cost goes up significantly for each entrance and of course all foot traffic is directed to the entrance with the metal detector. When you're dealing with people in wheelchairs, on crutches, carrying babies or towing little ones, the inconvenience of going through a metal detector and reducing the number of entrances would be significant.

 

[partgypsy]

I work at a VA hospital (my office is off-site but I often go to the main hospital). I would be for metal detectors. As far as I know there are 2 main entrances so it wouldn't be huge change to install them.
I remember going to a security training awareness seminar, and the person reeled off a number of incidents that were narrowly prevented in our Visn. I was shocked because I hadn't heard of them, but of course, the ones prevented don't hit the news.
Working in the medical field, there are going to be times where you tell people news they don't want to hear, or accept, or people feeling you didn't do enough or having other disagreements or beefs. Even if 99% of people manage to deal with it, what about the other 1%?

The outpatient mental health clinics are off site. As far as I know, not only do they not have detectors but I don't know what their relationship is re: VA police present on-site. That would be a concern to me

 

[Circe]

I know gun control is a hot button topic here as in our general society. But can I just say ... there is something deeply bizarre about our go-to on this issue being to up the ante on security as opposed to, say, restricting access to firearms.

I went to a high school with metal detectors on all the doors. It wouldn't affect my view of a hospital to have them there, I'd just see it as another sad necessity in our high-violence society. But it wouldn't make me feel any safer, either, considering the variety of things I and my classmates regularly got past the metal detectors. If the guns weren't as likely to be there in the first place ... yeah, that might maybe make me feel safer. The increased security theater? Eh.

The interesting thing about this case is that this shooter doesn't fit the typical profile. He had no apparent history of mental illness, no history of illegal violence: he was a church-going ex-military family man who just apparently snapped after his elderly mother's death (Davidson had operated on the shooter's mother prior to her demise). So this isn't one of those cases where we can say, well, X-profile personality shouldn't have guns, setting off the eternal debate ... this is more a question of, are we ever going to hit a point where we say that having guns readily available is more trouble than it's worth?

What would it take, hypothetically: a metal detector on every door? Because that's where we're heading. We already saw that argument being made after Sandy Hook, when there were debates about whether we should not only put metal detectors on doors, but whether we should arm teachers, etc., and the consensus was that we'd be moving towards a society on lockdown (once you get the kindergartens and the hospitals in addition to the military bases and the police stations ... you do kind of have to acknowledge the practicality of filling in everything in between). That pretty much fizzled out after a little while, as much out of intellectual exhaustion as anything else. Wonder if this will lead to any kind of resolution ....

 

[maccers]

It depends on where you live, I suppose.

I live in a major Canadian city and hospitals do not have metal detectors here. I would find it very unsettling and it would not increase my sense of security. Having said that, the context is important too. As pointed out by Circe, Canada has much more stringent gun laws and fewer gun injuries/deaths per capita than the US. So, to me, if detectors started showing up in hospitals, I would interpret that to mean that the hospital itself is unsafe and I should probably seek out a different place to get help. I also think it's a sad commentary that people feel the need to consider a gun for their home safety. I visit the US plenty and, at least for where I visit, I don't feel unsafe (maybe I should?). But if I lived in the US, perhaps I would feel differently.

I once visited a hospital near the airport in Phoenix. I was travelling with a bunch of girlfriends and one of them needed immediate medical attention upon disembarking from the plane. She went by ambulance, the rest of us met her at the hospital separately. The emergency entrance to this hospital not only had metal detectors but was LOCKED until the attendant gave us a once over and buzzed us in. For us, it sent the message that we were in a very unsafe environment. I'm pretty sure that was a bad part of town and it was intended for our safety but it didn't make us feel safer.

 

[anners11]

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful responses. This has been a topic of discussion among my friends, who are mostly in medicine and colleagues. It's good to hear non-medical perspectives.

 

[telephone89]

I have never been in a hospital with a metal detector (but I've been in few hospitals).

I feel like living where I do, I get a false sense of security "Oh that stuff never happens in Canada", but it does, and increasingly more. I guess I wouldn't object to a metal detector, and I wouldn't avoid a metal detector hospital, but they don't actually make me feel safer.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

The hospital I work in does not have metal detectors. I work on a locked unit (psych) so I feel in many ways I am safer than in other units. However, I am not super confident in our security, especially on the weekends. We call codes regularly (not because of weapons though). We are lucky to get two extra bodies on the weekends (usually a security guard and nurse supervisor) and some of the situations are very serious. Police are required to lock their guns up before they enter our unit.

There was an active shooter code called at the local children's hospital. It was over a custody issue. The shooter did not actually shoot but drew his gun. He got shot by police.

I am sure metal detectors are only a matter of time. Makes me sad. I would feel less safe if I entered a hospital with one.

 

[lyra]

I wouldn't think anything if hospitals had metal detectors. I think public safety trumps all. I'm in Canada, and would be fine if metal detectors were installed everywhere at this point in time. I'm growing increasingly worried about homeland type security, and since the presence of detectors would not harm me in any way, bring them. Better safe than sorry, even if "safe" is just peace of mind, if that makes sense. I'm sure there would be a deterrence factor. Even if it was someone with a concealed knife, they'd think twice. I doubt it will happen though, because it would require staffing, and we're in a recession.

 

[Smores84]

I am in favor of metal detectors in hospitals.

I work in the same hospital system where the shooting occurred and I am surprised that the hospital administrators have not made a true effort to prevent another attack.

I have worked in 2 previous hospitals where we had armed guards and metal detectors, and I believe that it is financially and practically feasible.

I understand that these measures are not a guarantee, but I personally would feel more comfortable if we had them.

Some people may think that metal detectors and guards give the wrong impression, but I think protecting the safety of patients, their families, and healthcare workers is far more important.

 

[Maria D]

I know gun control is a hot button topic here as in our general society. But can I just say ... there is something deeply bizarre about our go-to on this issue being to up the ante on security as opposed to, say, restricting access to firearms.

I went to a high school with metal detectors on all the doors. It wouldn't affect my view of a hospital to have them there, I'd just see it as another sad necessity in our high-violence society. But it wouldn't make me feel any safer, either, considering the variety of things I and my classmates regularly got past the metal detectors. If the guns weren't as likely to be there in the first place ... yeah, that might maybe make me feel safer. The increased security theater? Eh.

The interesting thing about this case is that this shooter doesn't fit the typical profile. He had no apparent history of mental illness, no history of illegal violence: he was a church-going ex-military family man who just apparently snapped after his elderly mother's death (Davidson had operated on the shooter's mother prior to her demise). So this isn't one of those cases where we can say, well, X-profile personality shouldn't have guns, setting off the eternal debate ... this is more a question of, are we ever going to hit a point where we say that having guns readily available is more trouble than it's worth?

What would it take, hypothetically: a metal detector on every door? Because that's where we're heading. We already saw that argument being made after Sandy Hook, when there were debates about whether we should not only put metal detectors on doors, but whether we should arm teachers, etc., and the consensus was that we'd be moving towards a society on lockdown (once you get the kindergartens and the hospitals in addition to the military bases and the police stations ... you do kind of have to acknowledge the practicality of filling in everything in between). That pretty much fizzled out after a little while, as much out of intellectual exhaustion as anything else. Wonder if this will lead to any kind of resolution ....

And today we can add Home Depot to the list...

It will all fizzle out, and quickly. I don't think we, as a nation, will ever believe that gun availability is more harmful than beneficial. After twenty children were massacred in Newtown I thought, that's it, surely we've had enough. Nope, gun permit requests soared in that area.

I wouldn't feel safer in a hospital with metal detectors, probably the opposite. For example, I work in a high school and know that although school shootings happen, it is unlikely. So I don't feel threatened when I'm at school. But if they installed metal detectors, I'd think they did so because there was a need. So now I'd feel safer in the building (no one's getting through with a gun) and unsafe everywhere else. (And then, like a true American, I'd get a handgun permit and gun - you can see how this thing perpetuates!)

 

[artdecogirl]

As a employee of a hospital that is in a suburban area of a major US city I would be very happy to have metal detectors, I work night shift so I am not at great risk just because at night we are entirely locked down, all entrances you need to be buzzed in and I am happy with that. People who are ill or families of ill people are in high stress moments in there lives and are often very emotional and violence is very common in healthcare, much more then most people would think.