In response to the shooting of one of its doctors, Johns Hopkins Hospital will file a report on its security measures to the panel that accredits U.S. hospitals on Tuesday.
The report was required by the Joint Commission, the independent, nonprofit panel that offers accreditation for more than 18,000 health care organization and programs around the country. It requires hospitals involved in "sentinel events" such as postoperative complications or medical errors to review what happened and say what, if anything, should be done to improve safety and quality of care.
The doctor, David B. Cohen, was shot by the distraught son of a patient Sept. 16 and continues to recover from his wounds. The shooter killed himself and his mother.
The commission reported that there have been almost 7,000 sentinel events since 1995. A category called "assault/rape/homicide" was the eighth most common type of problem.
A spokesman for the commission has said the confidential report will be reviewed and the hospital will be followed for a few months to ensure implementation of the plan.
There may be no changes to security necessary, and Hopkins officials have already said that metal detectors at all entrances and screening would be logistically difficult and unwelcoming. Some 80,000 workers and visitors come and go a week.
The officials still said security would be reassessed. And sometimes, magnetometer "wands" are used to check visitors during high-risk situations in the emergency rooms.
Have you been to Hopkins or another hospital recently? Think security is sufficient?
Photo of David B. Cohen courtesy of Hopkins