Do no harm.
Hospitals and healthcare providers understand “do no harm” when it comes to medicine, but what happens if a female undergoing inpatient surgery is fondled by a tech? Or a psychiatric patient is raped by another patient? Or a child undergoing chemotherapy is molested by her nurse?
No one knows for certain how many patients, both adults and youths, are sexually abused by employees or other patients in hospitals, drug treatment centers, psychiatric facilities, or other behavioral health programs, but setting characteristics make the risk apparent.
Patients and their families are often at their most vulnerable, seeking help for serious or even life-threatening situations. They may be medicated and unable to speak up or protect themselves, disrobed, or in need of intimate care. Authorized medical procedures may require the use of strangers’ hands or instruments in otherwise private parts of the body. These conditions require enormous trust—trust that is far too often violated.
Praesidium understands the risks in hospitals and health care settings and how to effectively manage them. Click on the links below to learn more about the services Praesidium can provide to your organization.
- TrainingDoes the training you provide employees and volunteers work to change behavior, or does it just provide a “check in the box” every two or three years? Does it engage the learners? Are you certain it covers the correct content? Do you reliably track and ensure completion? Praesidium provides a complete training delivery system for organizations, including customized online courses, onsite workshops, DVD programs, mini-minders and just-in-time videos. Learn More
- Policy DevelopmentPolicies define the bandwidth of acceptable behavior in your organization—what’s permitted and what’s not—and inform and empower employees and volunteers to take action before an incident occurs. Praesidium reviews your existing policies and helps develop new policies that permit you to accomplish your mission while prohibiting behaviors most commonly associated with abuse. Learn More
- Risk Assessment and Accreditation®Now your organization can publicly demonstrate that it meets the highest standards of abuse prevention in the nation. Using Praesidium’s proprietary risk management system, our team of Safety Analysts comes on site to evaluate your practices in eight key organizational operations. You receive a detailed report outlining strengths and potential exposures in each program and a prioritized action plan to close any gaps. Once you’ve closed the gaps, you earn Praesidium Accreditation®, proof to your stakeholders, the community, and your insurance underwriters of your demonstrated commitment to safety. Learn More
- Investigations and Incident ReviewReviewing allegations of inappropriate behavior or suspected abuse can be complicated. Praesidium’s unbiased, expert investigations help gather facts, identify potential gaps in your organization’s abuse prevention practices, and deliver a confidential final report with findings and recommendations. Learn More
- Screening and Selection ServicesDeciding who has access to those you serve is one of the most important decisions you can make, but many organizations still rely only on a simple background check to screen employees and volunteers. Read on to learn the surprising truth about background checks and how Praesidium’s screening and selection services can help overhaul your hiring process. Learn More
- Background ChecksPraesidium’s background check services help you take the first step in effectively screening employees and volunteers. Learn More