By Jeff Wardon, Jr., Assistant Editor

A man is in custody after allegedly making bomb threats against government buildings and causing an armed standoff at a hospital in Weston, West Virginia, WBOY reports. Brandon McGoye was a patient at William R. Sharpe Jr. Hospital when he reportedly armed himself and confronted staff. State troopers arrested him without incident and linked him to the earlier bomb threats.  

McGoye faces multiple charges, including eight counts of terroristic threats and seven counts of false bomb reports, WBOY reports. Authorities say no actual threat to public safety has been found. 

Healthcare facilities must prepare themselves for unexpected events so they’re not caught completely off-guard. Implementing systems to counteract and prevent workplace violence is key to this. 

One system that has taken steps to address this challenge is Geisinger Health System. Its approach offers a model for how healthcare facilities can proactively create safer environments for both staff and patients. 

Related Content: Preventing Weapon-Related Violence in Healthcare

Geisinger Health System implemented safety measures such as training its staff in de-escalation, active shooter response drills and outfitting its employees with duress notification badges, according to the American Medical Association. It also put forth a patient misconduct policy and assembled workplace-violence committees to monitor and respond to incidents. The system is additionally measuring the success of these initiatives by metrics such as reducing patient aggression and assault injuries. 

Similarly, the Cleveland Clinic put in place a system to flag down patients who have a history of violence, according to a study from Epic. The clinic used a standardized process to assess risks and give support to staff coming across potentially volatile events. This led to a decrease in workplace violence reports and a rise in staff asking for help with managing challenging behaviors. 

The need for proactive, system-wide safety measures becomes more urgent as the threats to healthcare facilities evolve. Investment in staff training, clear protocols and smart technologies enables healthcare organizations to create more secure environments. 

Jeff Wardon, Jr., is the assistant editor of the facilities market.