Healthcare
Protection
Liability Insurance for US Healthcare Providers
Deadly Weapon Protection - Fact Sheet
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According to CNN affiliate KYW-TV. 24th July 2014
Psychiatrist Lee Silverman may have saved lives Thursday afternoon, when a patient opened fire in a suburban Philadelphia hospital.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan said the shooting happened around 2:30 p.m. in a treatment room at Mercy Fitzgerald Wellness Center in Darby, Pennsylvania, Whelan said it appears an outpatient psychiatric patient shot and killed a caseworker before the doctor, who was carrying his own weapon, shot the patient. Authorities said they did not know why the patient opened fire.
Whelan identified the patient as Richard Plotts of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, and the caseworker as Theresa Hunt of Pennsylvania.
Silverman was grazed by a bullet but otherwise not injured, Whelan said. Plotts was in critical condition at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, the district attorney said.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as numerous law enforcement officers descended on the hospital.
“The scene looked like a small army. It was very surreal, but it was comforting that if something happens this severe and we can come together,” said Rohan Hepkins, mayor of nearby Yeadon, Pennsylvania.
“The police came in droves and they locked down everything. They chased everybody on the inside, and then we (saw) a SWAT team come in,” a bystander told KYW.
Deadly Weapon Protection
An assault by a lone individual or multiple attackers is unpredictable and potentially devastating. The U.S.
Department of Homeland Security recently stated that attacks by lone offenders which, by definition, lack
co-conspirators and therefore provide fewer opportunities for detection, are more difficult for law enforcement
to detect than coordinated attacks.
There are significant challenges to healthcare facilities in securing their complexes which manage a vast throughput of people, many of whom are non-ambulatory. Hospitals and other healthcare institutions are particularly at risk from a lone attacker who could enter an institution unchallenged. In the event of an attack the vulnerable state of many patients makes them difficult to evacuate quickly. Despite the security arrangements of hospital operators, hospitals—by design and necessity—remain very open places, and many of the requirements of these buildings directly oppose much of what the security measures look to achieve.
In addition to limits of liability available under the Deadly Weapon Protection Policy, the Policy is designed to provide healthcare organizations with tailored services in the event of a deadly weapon event.
The Deadly Weapon Protection (DWP) has been specifically designed to provide an insurance and risk management solution for a deadly weapon event.
The Insurance Protection
Deadly Weapon Protection (DWP) has been designed to provide both risk managers and insurance buyers with
customized insurance coverage designed for a deadly weapon act which has resulted in death or bodily injury
by the perpetrator using a deadly weapon.
Deadly Weapon Protection Policy Rapid Response Team
In addition to the limits of liability available under the Deadly Weapon Protection Policy, the program has been
designed as a broad service product providing healthcare organizations access to consultation from
subject-matter experts on areas relating to post-event situations that a healthcare facility may face following a deadly
weapon event. Consultation can occur on many levels and in different fashions, from on-site consultation to
remote consultation (via
videoconferencing or teleconferencing). The experts will help the organization manage and
recover from the deadly weapon event by guiding it through the perils and unseen fallout of the event.
Pendulum, LLC is a risk management consulting firm offering healthcare providers a full range of consulting services, including risk assessments, on-site consultations, software applications, Web-based tools, and training materials. Pendulum’s risk management specialists assess an organization’s risk and offer practical, proven methods to manage that risk and strengthen defensibility.
U.S. Security Associates, one of America’s largest security companies, delivers uniformed security services, consulting and investigations, and specialized security solutions throughout the United States and around the world. The company, which operates 160 branch offices, has experience and on-the-ground resources in 120 countries. These include:
•
any firearm•
explosive device•
knife•
syringe•
medical instrument•
liquid acid•
and/or any other device or instrument which is capable of causing death or bodily injury.The DWP program provides both primary capacity of up to USD 25,000,000 and in addition excess capacity totalling USD 100,000,000 and is designed to eliminate potential coverage gaps in a general liability form and attach at a lower level than standard general liability policies.
The DWP program is underwritten by certain underwriters at Lloyd’s of London on a per risk/individual risk basis by underwriters who are specialists within the healthcare class.
Other services are available in conjunction with the DWP program. These include reviewing a facility for their preparedness for an event through a Security Vulnerability Assessment, on-site training for deadly weapon protection, and Disaster Preparedness Assessments.
Deadly Weapon Protection - Fact Sheet
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Advance Catastrophe Technologies, Inc. (ACT) provides total disaster planning and recovery and has the vision to be the restoration company of choice for America’s leading industries. ACT takes a proactive approach to disaster planning and response by creating partnerships and knowing the business operations before a disaster strikes. This allows ACT to know precisely how to manage an event to minimize property damage and disruption of operations. ACT has disaster response expertise in a variety of industries, including commercial properties, hospitality, healthcare, senior living, and insurance.
Crisis Care Network helps individuals and organizations return to work, life, and productivity following critical incidents, such as a deadly weapon event. Crisis Care Network mitigates the human and financial costs of workplace tragedy, such as workers’ compensation claims, low morale, employee attrition, and litigation. Crisis Care Network is concerned first and foremost with delivering a compassionate, clinically sound response to the people impacted by a deadly weapon event. When impacted employees can bounce back to productivity quickly, Crisis Care Network believes everyone wins.
Fire & Life-Safety, Inc. (FLS) provides specialized loss control, training, and risk management services focused on regulatory compliance; disaster planning; and emergency management of adverse events, including deadly weapon events, occurring in occupancies of all types. FLS consultants have comprehensive training and experience as first responders working with healthcare organizations around the nation to enhance planning, preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities.
Hall Booth Smith, P.C. (HBS) has delivered quality legal services in a variety of practice areas for more than 20 years. Experience across legal disciplines, combined with a focus on the unique business or personal requirements of the client, is the hallmark of the firm. HBS’s network provides on-call and emergency response to critical events, including criminal acts and unexpected media attention.
Because HBS is involved with the process from the very beginning, HBS clients will receive the benefit of an attorney-client privileged investigation from the moment of the unfortunate occurrence forward.
Jackson Spalding, Inc. can provide on-call crisis communication and media coaching counsel around the clock. The company will quickly immerse itself in your organization’s situation and craft responses that will mitigate the issue and preserve your brand. Jackson Spalding can create proactive and reactive crisis messaging that will resonate with antagonists, stakeholders, influencers, and media. With the company’s media coaching, your spokespeople will be prepared to communicate those messages under pressure.
Midwest Integrated Solutions is a security systems integrator, providing technology- based security solutions, quality products, and professional services. The company provides technology-based solutions for access control, CCTV systems, ID badge systems, intrusion detection, intercom systems, emergency alert systems, command and control systems, nurse call systems, lighting assessment-design-control, visitor and lobby management, telephone entry systems, asset tracking and protection, infant protection, and fire and safety monitoring.
Sorensen, Wilder & Associates is a consulting group organized to create a multidisciplinary team to provide safety, security, and risk management services and support to the healthcare industry. The Sorensen, Wilder & Associates team comes from a variety of backgrounds—fire services, disaster management, safety and security, hospital administration, emergency medical services (EMS) administration, long term care, government, business, engineering, and law enforcement. The group has combined experience in providing safety and security management services and programs for hospitals, long term care, physician practices, home healthcare services, occupational health and wellness, and pre-hospital services.
RKH Property & Casualty is a trading name of R K Harrison Insurance Brokers Limited (RKHIB), which is an appointed representative of R K Harrison Group Limited. R K Harrison Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of general insurance business. RKHIB is registered in England No. 6720048. Registered Office: One Whittington Avenue, London EC3V 1LE. Calls may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes. 08/14 ref 2302
R K Harrison Insurance Brokers Limited
One Whittington Avenue, London EC3V 1LE, United Kingdom
T +44 (0)20 7456 9300 F +44 (0)20 7456 9399 E [email protected] www.rkhgroup.com
RKH Property & Casualty is a trading name of R K Harrison Insurance Brokers Limited (RKHIB), which is an appointed representative of R K Harrison Group Limited. R K Harrison Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of general insurance business. RKHIB is registered in England No. 6720048. Registered Office: One Whittington Avenue, London EC3V 1LE. Calls may be monitored and recorded for quality assurance purposes. 08/14 ref 2302
