Joint Commission and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) standards can offer a template for designing a healthcare facility's security program, according to an article on the Campus Safety website,

Following the Joint Commission and CMS standards also can help a healthcare organization comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) codes and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as other regulations and local ordinances. 

If a security program has been designed in accordance with these standards, it can be an opportunity to validate a hospital security department’s professionalism and progress, the article said.

The Joint Commission requires hospitals to have a written security plan that is reviewed and updated annually. The standards cover a wide range of topics, but the Joint Commission gives healthcare organizations a lot of leeway in how these standards are met.

Read the article.