New research reveals nearly half of healthcare workers are considering leaving the industry due to safety concerns – and traditional security approaches aren’t solving the problem
Nearly two in five healthcare workers in the U.S. have considered leaving their positions due to safety concerns, with 45% likely to leave their job in the next 12 months, according to new research from Verkada and The Harris Poll. This is a technology problem disguised as a people problem.
Healthcare has embraced digital transformation everywhere except the one place workers need it most: keeping them safe at work.
The Scale of the Problem
Healthcare facilities face a unique security challenge. Unlike other industries where workplace violence is an occasional concern, healthcare environments experience it as a daily reality.
- 76% of all workplace violence occurs in healthcare settings
- One in five healthcare workers worry about verbal harassment from patients every time they go to work
- Nurses face physical assault rates twice as high as physicians (60% vs. 29%)
- The financial impact reaches $18 billion annually across the healthcare system
Yet the puzzling part is that despite these persistent threats, 41% of healthcare workers report their workplace has minimal security measures. It’s like having state-of-the-art cardiac monitors available but relying on a stethoscope to detect heart attacks.
Every Other Industry Has Gone Digital – Why Not Healthcare Security?
The irony is evident. Electronic health records have replaced paper charts. AI helps radiologists spot cancers smaller than a pinhead. Robots assist in surgery with precision no human hand could achieve. Automated pharmacy systems prevent medication errors that once killed thousands.
These digital solutions share something in common: they’re scalable, objective, proactive, and they provide data for better decision-making. They’ve revolutionized patient care while often reducing costs.
But walk to the security desk, and you’re transported back to 1975. Walk-through metal detectors, manual bag checks, and human-dependent screening processes were designed decades ago for different environments and different threat landscapes.
Why Security Investment Gets the Side-Eye
Physical security sits in an awkward spot on hospital balance sheets. Unlike an MRI machine that generates revenue or an electronic health record system that improves efficiency, security addresses something that may or may not happen. The business case, while obvious, is not evident.
Hospital administrators face a challenging calculation: spend money now on hypothetical risk, or invest in necessary equipment that saves lives today. The choice seems obvious until you consider the hidden costs of workplace violence: staff turnover, recruitment complexity, reduced productivity, legal expenses, and the slow erosion of workplace culture.
One hospital administrator recently told me their highest security priority had become buying wearable body cameras. Not because they wanted to turn their facility into a police state, but because they needed objective digital evidence to resolve “he said, she said” disputes that were consuming time and money resources in legal fees and staff grievances.
The Case for Going Digital
Modern healthcare environments deserve security solutions as sophisticated as the medical technology and environments that they protect. Digital security applies the same innovation that transformed patient care to workplace safety.
Consider what digital transformation has accomplished in other areas: Electronic health records eliminated transcription errors and made patient information instantly accessible anywhere; every doctor anywhere has the full patient history. Automated systems reduced medication mistakes and repetitive tasks. Predictive analytics help identify patients at risk before emergencies occur.
Digital security solutions follow the same playbook. They can monitor multiple entry points without armies of guards. They provide objective digital documentation that eliminates debate or opinion. They analyze patterns to identify potential problems before they become incidents. They integrate with existing hospital systems to provide holistic, coordinated responses.
Most importantly, they can provide robust protection while maintaining the welcoming atmosphere that’s essential to healing environments.
What Healthcare Workers Actually Want
The Verkada research shows healthcare workers understand what they need: 82% want their employers to increase security measures. When asked about specific solutions, their priorities are clear:
- On-site security guards (63%)
- Weapons detection technology (49%)
- Panic buttons (48%)
Healthcare workers aren’t asking for fortress-like security that compromises the care environment. They want smart, effective protection that allows them to focus on a welcoming environment for patient care without constant concern for their personal safety
Healthcare has already proven that digital innovation transforms outcomes for the better. Electronic health records improved patient safety, AI-powered diagnostics help doctors spot conditions earlier, and automated systems virtually eliminated medication errors. Security presents the same opportunity to take a page from healthcare’s own innovation playbook. The same digital transformation principles that revolutionized patient care can create work environments where healthcare professionals can focus entirely on their calling of healing others, supported by technology that handles safety seamlessly in the background.