Practices all over the country suffer from violent threats from patients, including Francavilla Brown, MD, whose practice faced a lockdown after a patient issued death threats to Dr. Brown and her staff, according to a Jan. 17 report from the American Medical Association.
Here are four things practices can do to protect themselves from patient violence, according to the American Medical Association:
1. Acknowledge the possibility of a threat to ensure preparedness.
2. Review your system's security guard protocol, door-locking abilities and the location of security cameras.
3. Look into providing patient chaperones in necessary circumstances.
4. Train staff members so they are ready to identify intruders and call 911 when necessary.