By Jeff Wardon, Jr., Assistant Editor

A Louisiana hospital is reviewing its security measures after a woman was arrested recently for attempting to kidnap a baby from the facility. The woman was caught trying to convince her boyfriend that a baby at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was theirs, according to The Advocate. The hospital is now reviewing its security measures, limiting access and implementing stricter guest policies. The woman's actions prompted immediate changes, including validating guest stickers daily and limiting each patient to a four-person guest list. 

Security measures are vital to keeping healthcare facilities and their occupants safe from harm. Healthcare facilities managers can achieve these goals through physical security measures, such as guards and access controls. 

Related: 3 Benefits of Access Control Technology in Healthcare

Guards in many facilities patrol the highest-risk areas to watch for unwanted individuals breaching the facility’s security. But guards cannot be everywhere at once. 

Access controls systems can further secure areas of healthcare facilities. In the above case, a patient was targeted by an unrelated external party. With access controls, that party can be tracked and guarded against.  

“A targeted patient may be in a compromised state making them more vulnerable,” Brian Ha, product manager at STANLEY Access Technologies, told Healthcare Facilities Today. “Facility staff that are targeted are threatened, as well, because they are working in a publicly known location regularly. Having access to information about who is currently inside the facility and not allowed in the facility is critical in ensuring the safety of both patients and staff.” 

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