Patient-generated violence, lateral violence, and other forms of workplace violence are the greatest threats facing healthcare today. While we all know the physical and psychological toll of these events on caregivers is incalculable, there is also a significant budgetary impact on healthcare organizations.
This article builds upon a presentation that my good friend Lisa Terry Price and I developed several years ago and discusses the true costs of workplace violence and why investing in technology and initiatives to better protect caregivers is critical.
So, how much does workplace violence cost the healthcare industry? In June of 2025, the American Hospital Association estimates the 2023 total annual financial cost of violence to healthcare organizations to be $18.27 billion. Of that amount, $3.62 billion is spent on training, staffing, facility modifications, security and staffing, and technology upgrades.
Its important to understand that this $18.27 billion, while astronomical, does not take into consideration other factors such as possible lawsuits, settlements, and reputational damage that can further erode healthcare organizations bottom line.
Thus, it is imperative that healthcare organizations invest in workplace violence mitigation technology and initiatives that not only better protect their caregivers, and safeguard their reputation in their communities, but also protects their financial stability.
So, with so many technologies out there, which ones have the greatest impact on reducing workplace violence incidents, reduce caregiver anxiety, and help keep caregivers, patients, and visitors safe.
- Duress alarms provide an important layer of protection for caregivers, particularly in areas where there are high rates of violence. They have also been shown to increase caregiver confidence in security’s ability to respond to incidents, which can reduce their anxiety and allow them to focus on providing quality care to their patients. Duress alarms use Real Time Location Service, or RTLS to ensure security officers can quickly intervene when needed, even if a caregiver is moving or being moved to a different location than where the alarm was activated.
- Concealed Weapons Detection is another great tool for protecting caregivers and organizations. These devices use artificial intelligence, machine learning and magnetic fields to detect weapons and not harmless items. Although rare, incidents of shootings in hospitals have been on the rise over the last few years, which is concerning to caregivers. So, this technology which prevents weapons from entering a healthcare facility, also can help reduce caregiver anxiety.
- Body worn cameras are another tool that has shown tremendous promise in safeguarding caregivers. These devices are a visible deterrent, which can discourage aggressive behaviors, while capturing real-time interactions. Video obtained from body worn cameras can also be used for training purposes, for prosecution when appropriate, and to help show the C-suite the work done by the security team.
As discussed, the financial costs of workplace violence can have a long-lasting impact on healthcare organizations. So, investments in technologies and initiatives such as the ones discussed can better protect caregivers, help reduce costs and ensure an organizations ability to provide quality care to the community.