Hanover Hospital is First in Nation to Earn International Security/Safety Accreditation Designation

Hanover Hospital is the first hospital in the nation to be awarded the Program of Distinction, Level 1 Accreditation, by the International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS).

Initiated in June 2006, the Program of Distinction recognizes healthcare security and safety departments within healthcare facilities that have achieved and maintained a minimum staffing level of 80 percent of IAHSS certified security personnel, and led by a Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator. The IAHSS is a non-profit association representing individuals involved in healthcare security and safety. Through its
educational programs and certification activities, IAHSS advances excellence in healthcare security and safety worldwide.

Hanover Hospital's Safety and Security officers are highly trained on the job and also participate in classroom sessions. They must also attain certification in administration of
CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and CPI, which is non-violent crisis intervention, in addition to a basic security course.

Hanover's officers are a diverse group, comprising retired or former policemen, career and volunteer firemen and EMT's.2-
Joe Bellino, CHPA, Director of Safety & Security, has been employed at Hanover Hospital for the past six years. Certified in healthcare protection administration since 2002, he developed the professional level safety and security program at Hanover. According to Bellino, compared with hospitals nationwide, Hanover Hospital scored below benchmarks for all crime categories. All systems, incident reporting and
dispatching functions are computerized, and all safety and security staff are computer- proficient.

Responsibilities of the Safety & Security Department include but are not limited to: life safety, protecting patients, staff and visitors; assisting nursing with situations requiring restraints, etc.; response to calls for services, both emergency and routine; Incident reporting; responsible for security-sensitive emergency code areas, such as infant abduction, violence, bomb threat, and weapon/hostage situations. Bellino noted that other hospital staff work as a team with Safety & Security during emergency situations. "Everyone steps up and helps out."

According to 2006 data, the Safety & Security Department responded to 6,811 calls for service, and carried out 343 investigations. Data also showed a marked decrease in the
number of missing property and missing patients, and a successful JCAHO inspection.

The prestigious accreditation award is a "great honor," said Bellino. "Our department worked hard to become professional security officers...they've earned that distinction." He noted that the department has come a long way in the past few years, and he hopes Hanover Hospital will be the first to be full accredited at Level II in the future. "This award is for the hard-working officers as well as the hospital. They balance their
enforcement duties with good customer service."