For Immediate Release: 02.01.01 Canine (K9) Deployment in Healthcare

November 30, 2023                                                                           Contact:

                                                                                 Name: Virginia Petrancosta
      Phone:  630-529-3913 x 101
    Email:  virginia@iahss.org

Today’s healthcare organizations continuously seek ways to improve security and patient care while being confronted with more disruptive and volatile events than ever before. Security presence is one of many strategies deployed to deter aggression inside healthcare. When trained and deployed correctly, our four-legged officers, whose calming presence can be a deterrent during tense situations, can augment that presence and, in the most challenging conditions, can achieve a presence no officer can. Finally, K9s have been shown to improve staff’s perception of safety.

To assist healthcare organizations in strengthening security department operations, the IAHSS Council on Guidelines is announcing Healthcare Security Industry Guideline 02.01.01: Canine (K9) Deployment in Healthcare. The new guidelines can be found here. 

The new guideline includes several terms commonly used to describe components of a K9 program: K9 capabilities, liability considerations, and K9 medical, vehicle, and home care responsibilities.

Alan Butler, Council on Guidelines Member and Administrative Director of Public Safety & Security at Cox Health in Springfield, MO, stated, “While a K9 program may not be for every organization, they have a place in healthcare security. When deployed properly, an effective K9 program can impact your program’s security presence, staff’s perception of safety, and most importantly, patient/visitor generated violence.”

The IAHSS Council on Guidelines comprises volunteer IAHSS members who are seasoned healthcare security professionals and leaders. Each year, the Council on Guidelines develops new industry guidelines and reviews existing guidelines on a three-year cycle. 

About IAHSS

The International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) is the only organization dedicated to professionals managing and directing security and safety programs in healthcare facilities. IAHSS is a professional association with more than 2,000 members who are healthcare security, law enforcement, safety, and emergency management leaders.  IAHSS has educated and served members and the profession for fifty years by offering exclusive resources and benefits, including industry and design guidelines, local and international educational and networking opportunities, and the celebrated bi-annual Journal of Healthcare Protection Management.  IAHSS has certified thousands of dedicated professionals who keep healthcare facilities, patients, staff, and visitors safe. IAHSS offers Basic, Advanced, and Supervisor certifications, a Safety Certificate Program, and maintains the prestigious Certified Healthcare Protection Administrator (CHPA) certification, the standard for the healthcare security leader dedicated to the profession.