Hospital screening technology is being installed across Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), which began a systemwide rollout on Oct. 6. ARH described the effort as a visible part of a multimillion-dollar investment in safety and security across its facilities in a rollout announcement.
Beckley ARH Hospital received the first installation on Oct. 5. Installation followed at Summers County ARH Hospital and Tug Valley ARH Regional Medical Center on Oct. 6. ARH scheduled installations at Hazard and Highlands ARH regional medical centers for Oct. 7; the announcement did not confirm whether those took place.
Hospital Screening Technology Is Being Installed in Stages
The work advances an ARH security initiative that has been in development for nearly two years. Chief Security Officer Paul Buta and the ARH Security team have led the effort to evaluate security needs and identify technology and other solutions for the hospitals and the communities they serve.
ARH says the screening system is designed to help trained security personnel identify potential safety concerns, including firearms, knives and other prohibited items. The health system says the technology is intended to let people move through screening quickly and with minimal disruption.
Once operational, the hospital screening technology will screen employees, patients and visitors entering through equipped hospital entrances. ARH says most people should be able to walk through at a normal pace without routinely emptying their pockets or removing everyday items. When something needs additional attention, trained security personnel will assist with the next step.
Installation does not mean screening has started. ARH says systems at each hospital will become operational after implementation and preparations are complete. Employees at each location will receive information before screening begins. The announcement gives no date for when screening will start at any individual hospital.
Screening Adds to ARH’s Wider Security Effort
ARH President and CEO Hollie Harris said employees, patients, families and other people who enter the facilities should have a safe environment. She also said hospitals must remain welcoming and accessible to people who depend on them for care.
“Our employees dedicate their lives to taking care of others, and we have a responsibility to do everything we reasonably can to provide a safe environment for them to do that important work,” Harris said. She said the responsibility also extends to patients, their families and everyone who comes through ARH’s doors.
“We need to continually strengthen security while making sure our hospitals remain welcoming and accessible to the people who depend on us for care,” Harris said. She described the investment as another tool to help meet both responsibilities.
Harris credited Buta and the security team with approaching the work thoughtfully, considering both technology and the experience of patients and communities.
The screening equipment is one part of the health system’s broader security work. ARH expects several additional initiatives led by Buta and his team to begin rolling out over the next several months, but the announcement does not describe them or give their schedule.
ARH says the technology adds a layer to security professionals, training, policies and other safety measures already in place. The stated next steps are to complete preparations at equipped facilities, inform employees before screening begins and include additional hospitals as the systemwide rollout continues.
