55% Healthcare Workers Faced Increases in Violence - How Is Security Adapting to Protect Them?

"The 2026 State of Physical Security Report from Genetec reveals security incidents in hospitals and healthcare organizations increased in 2025. How are these organizations responding to rising threats against staff? Healthcare Security Incidents Increase The report determined the top five security incidents that rose in the previous year. The safety concern rising the most was physical assaults against employees, at 55%. In descending order, hospitals and healthcare organizations also faced in increase in verbal attacks, unauthorized entrances, break-ins, and insider thefts."

"Many hospitals and healthcare organizations are seeking to modernize security equipment to confront these challenges. The report found institutions are updating how security information is shared and utilized, with over half submitting access activity data from the security operation center (SOC) to other systems. Additionally, many share alarms, incident information, and video/audio data. SOCs are intaking data from cybersecurity tools, threat intelligence sources, HR systems and intrusion and asset monitoring systems."

Security incidents in hospitals and healthcare organizations increased in 2025, with physical assaults against employees rising 55%. Other incidents that increased included verbal attacks, unauthorized entrances, break-ins, and insider thefts. External threats to healthcare carry major financial impacts, with total costs of workplace violence estimated at $18.27 billion. Primary challenges facing the sector include upskilling staff (42%), outdated IT infrastructure (40%), and difficulty attracting and retaining talent (38%). Hospitals are modernizing security equipment and changing how security information is shared and utilized, with over half submitting access activity data from security operation centers to other systems. Many organizations also share alarms, incident information, and video/audio data, and SOCs intake cybersecurity, threat intelligence, HR, intrusion, and asset monitoring data to enhance safety and operational efficiency.

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