This week’s Safety & Security Corner focuses on ongoing advances in the safety and security of patients, families, visitors and staff. As always, staff should report safety concerns by telling a manager, calling Security at 617-732-6565 or emailing non-urgent questions to BWHSafety@partners.org.

This year, BWH has implemented a number of security measures, including the hospital-wide S.A.F.E. Program, hiring additional security staff, increasing security patrols, installing panic buttons throughout the system and making improvements to its electronic security monitoring systems.

A nationally respected health care security consultant also completed an in-depth assessment of BWH’s overall security program. His findings conclude that security and safety performance systems are strong and BWH is safe, but there is room for improvement. Senior leadership has established working groups that include staff across the organization to determine priorities around the consultant recommendations related to construction and facilities, workplace violence, and incident and event communication, among others.

BWH has also worked with the Boston Police Department and the Boston Fire Department to identify the conditions that would make it possible to lock down inpatient units in the Shapiro Center. BWH’s work is nearly complete in identifying the resources, security staffing, technology and training required to implement this next step in its ongoing commitment to vigilance and a comprehensive security program. BWH continues to move forward in developing and implementing revisions to its comprehensive security strategy, which will be announced in the coming weeks.