By Jeff Wardon, Jr., Assistant Editor

Healthcare facilities are unfortunately a prime target for violent crimes, and the number of violent incidents keeps climbing, now including one at Massachusetts General Hospital. 

A man was stabbed in the lobby of the hospital on May 29, WCVB reports. The alleged suspect, 56-year-old John Huddleston, is facing charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and mayhem. The victim’s injuries were not life-threatening. The hospital confirmed the incident and said it is continuing normal operations. 

Violent incidents are common in healthcare as workers in the field are five times as likely to suffer a workplace violence injury than workers overall, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Weapons-based violence is not as common, as a study published in the National Library of Medicine found that only 4 percent of patients/visitors screened had weapons detected on them.  

Related Content: Healthcare Crime and Violent Incidents by the Numbers

Implementing weapon detection systems can be a key part of a healthcare facility’s overall security strategy. Modern systems include AI-assisted technologies that help determine the shape of a weapon and pinpoint where it is on a person.  

Once a weapon is detected, it can be removed from the person by security personnel, thus neutralizing any threat. 

Weapon detection systems also help monitor who and what comes into a healthcare facility daily, as a manual check of every individual would be impossible. This helps determine who should be in the facility and who shouldn’t. 

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