GRH considers security enhancements

Additional parking and facility security enhancements are part of a $33 million captial budget over three years. The budget and its details were approved Monday by Greater Regional Health board members.

“This is simply a capital planning tool,” said chief finance officer Matt McCutchan. Of the $33 million, $19 million is planned for facilities, $1.2 million for information technology and $13 million in equipment from EMS, radiology, surgery and lab equipment.

“We are looking at upgrades to security with cameras and doors as they show age,” McCutchan said.

With schools, malls and retail stores sites of active shooter events, Human Resources Officer Amy Rieck said Greater Regional has a building lockdown system and procedures.

“We are able to lock down all exterior doors, and a handful of interior doors that can be locked from within the department,” she said.

Rieck said one possible security improvement includes artificial intelligence.

“It is a more intense search criteria. If we ever have an active shooter and we knew that person came in with a black hat we could tell the system to search for the prson with a black hat.” The cameras would note locations of people fitting a description.

“It’s a lot but it comes with a price. The end product is something we can look at,” she said.

Rieck added school districts have a similar system.

Rieck explained where facility and staff-access to implement a building lockdown. All patient acess representatives that work main registration and nurses’ stations have the activation. The facility’s information technology department also has access.

“We know our access points; we are still a rural community. The more access you have the harder it is to lock down buildings,” Rieck said. The facility’s lockdown operation does not include the elevators as those work independently.

The expansion of the hospital’s lab and clinic has created another entrance.

“There are lots of things to think about and lots of money to make them all talk to each other,” she said about the system and how it works.

McCutchan said additional parking is being reviewed new Country Club Street and at the east medical suites.

“That is the least costly and least disruptive,” he said.

The board was to take action on the county budget but it was not complete. It will be part of the board’s March 25 meeting

The board approved the third and final contribution of $10,000 toward the Afton walking trail.

Greater Regional’s new clinic in Greenfield opened earlier this month.

“We will continue to give choice, access and quality. That is what we do in the clinics,” said Chief Executive Officer Monte Neitzel.

He added the expansion of the clinic and lab in Creston is on time and budget. Construction has taken advantage of the mild winter weather.