Securing your hospital in a family and friends environment.

How does the healthcare security professional protect patients, staff and visitors from harm in the face of a Family and Friends philosophy espoused by many hospitals, a philosophy marked by less restrictive visiting hours, free movement throughout the facility, extended dining hours in the cafeterias and a general feeling of openness? How are security professionals expected to deal with an increase in threats of violence in such a restriction-free environment? In this article the author proposes a number of ways to secure a facility under such challenging circumstances.