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Case Study – Paladin Security at Capital District Health Authority in Halifax

October 30, 2013Focus on Healthcare, Toronto

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Capital District Health Authority (CDHA) – Overview

Largest of 10 Nova Scotia health authorities

6 acute sites Halifax Infirmary – mayor trauma/tertiary

centre for Atlantic Canada – 700 beds/75k ER visits

Victoria General – huge inpatient site (400 beds) with no ER – 3 blocks from HI

Dartmouth General – community hospital in heavy crime area – busy ED Nova Scotia Hospital – stand alone mental health facility Hant’s Hospital – small rural hospital in retirement community of

Windsor Cobequid – in growing suburb of Sackville – ER but no inpatients  Community clinics and programs

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Paladin at CDHA

Awarded contract in Oct 2011 after more than 2 decades with another provider

No corporate security department/lead – rely on vendor

Union concerns over staff safety especially in mental health

Funding a challenge in NS healthcare Tasked with finding cost savings while enhancing

service

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Start Up Initiatives

Conducted review of SO deployment and functions

Change philosophy away from fixed posts to mobile security force

Made security visible, mobile and customer focused Trained security to function in demanding ER and MH

environs Implemented incident reporting/data collection processes

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Specific Projects

Security reviews of 4 community health clinics

Review of rehab Building – fixed SO post

Used metrics to guide site staffing levels and functions Provided algorithm to determine if patient aide/security best

for patient watch Designed centralized Operations Centre model Helped CDHA develop security-related policies

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Conclusion

CDHA realized substantial cost savings in security with more identified

Plan to centralize Operations Centre/Dispatch functions approved

Feedback from CDHA, especially from high risk areas, overwhelmingly positive

Perception that security levels have increased though they have not

Data now available to CDHA for best practice/evidence-based decision making