Specialized Officers Improve UMHHC Security, Customer Service
University of Michigan Hospital and Health Centers (UMHHC) takes a multifaceted approach to staffing their front-line personnel. Uniformed security officers are the most visible staff members in the department, responding to a variety of safety-related situations. Recently, their duties have expanded so that officers now have specialized roles, including VIP details, crime prevention, physical security and risk assessments, emergency department, employee misconduct, medication dispensing protocols, loss prevention and the safe supervision of violent patients and patients with autism.
The security department has also developed the classification of Guest Services Specialist (GSS), who are security personnel responsible for identifying and granting visitation clearance to patient visitors. GSSs assist guests, answering questions and maintaining a helpful, supportive and compassionate atmosphere. These officers have a significant presence at the Mott Children’s Hospital, where emotions often run high due to the exhausted and worried families of pediatric patients. They are also present in the emergency department and maternity facilities.
Additionally, security officers are designated as liaisons to all UMHHC’s floors so they can build relationships with their communities as well as provide public safety training to non-security staff. Officers are encouraged to evaluate processes and find efficiencies. The resources that have been saved have been used to justify additional security staff.
UMHHC at a Glance:
The University of Michigan Hospital and Health Centers (UMHHC) is a 990 bed healthcare facility that is comprised of an adult emergency department, children’s emergency department, psychiatric emergency department, adult psychiatric unit, child and adolescent psychiatric unit, three hospitals and 120 clinics. Approximately 27,000 faculty, staff, students, trainees and volunteers work at the facility. About 1.9 people visit UMHHC each year and 49,000 patients stay per year.
The UM Division of Public Safety and Security that is responsible for UMHHC has 175 employees, including 78 uniformed officers and 61 guest services specialists (soft uniformed security).
