The Security Exchange: Mitigating Workplace Violence and Targeted Threats in Healthcare

In this episode of The Security Exchange, host Dan Pascale sits down with Drew Neckar, a veteran security leader and Principal Consultant at COSECURE, to tackle the escalating crisis of workplace violence in healthcare. With healthcare workers currently accounting for over 70% of non-fatal workplace assaults in the U.S., the conversation moves beyond the "status quo" to explore actionable mitigation strategies. Key Discussion Points: The Global Rise of Violence: Why healthcare systems worldwide are seeing a post-pandemic shift in aggression from patients and families. Reactive vs. Targeted Violence: Understanding the critical difference between "in-the-moment" outbursts and predatory, targeted violence that requires a multidisciplinary threat assessment team. Bridging the Program Gaps: Why reporting processes are often the most significant failure point in a security program and how to fix them. Layered Physical Security: A deep dive into the evolution of access control, the impact of mandated weapons detection, and the importance of visitor management. The "Keyless Entry" Trap: How hospitals can avoid overspending on "shiny new widgets" by fully utilizing the features of the enterprise systems they already own. C-Suite Engagement: Practical tips for security directors to find internal champions among nursing and medical leadership to drive a culture of safety. Stop treating security as a secondary clinical function and start building a culture of safety that empowers every caregiver to identify, report, and mitigate threats.