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Episode Five: Eric Clay, President of the Board at IAHSS
Episode Five: Eric Clay, President of the Board at IAHSS
Episode synopsis
In this episode of A Safety Shift, Blake Lewkowitz interviews Eric Clay, President of the Board for IAHSS (International Association for Healthcare Security and Safety). They discuss the growing issue of workplace violence in healthcare, particularly patient-generated violence against caregivers. Eric shares insights on current trends, the importance of creating a safer work environment, and how technology, training, and collaboration with key stakeholders can help mitigate these challenges. He concludes with advice for healthcare security leaders on fostering safer environments for both staff and patients.
Video transcript
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Welcome to The Safety Shift, a talk series focused on creating safer communities, featuring the leaders that will help us get there. My name is Blake Lewkowitz, and today I'm joined by Eric Sean Clay, President of the Board for IAHSS. Welcome, Eric.
Eric Clay: Thanks, Blake. It's a pleasure to be on the podcast.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Appreciate you joining and everything you do for IAHSS. Before we jump in, can you give us a quick overview of what IAHSS is and the missions and goals of the organization?
Eric Clay: Of course. We are the only association solely dedicated to healthcare security. We’ve got nearly 4,000 members throughout multiple countries. Our goal is to provide support and resources to healthcare security providers. In fact, we’re meeting today for our strategic planning session, focusing on workplace violence, which we consider the greatest threat to healthcare.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Got it. You mentioned workplace violence—what trends are you seeing? Where is the violence being directed, and what role does IAHSS play in mitigating or preventing it?
Eric Clay: Workplace violence is the greatest threat. Data and reports show that patient-generated violence is becoming more prevalent. The vast majority of it is directed at caregivers, particularly nurses. A Press Gainey survey suggested that 57 nurses are assaulted each day in the U.S., with an estimated $2.7 billion annually spent on mitigating workplace violence. These assaults are underreported, so the issue is even larger. At IAHSS, we provide training, including a workplace violence mitigation certification, and offer resources, policy guidance, and access to thought leaders who help improve security management plans.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Do you expect these trends of patient-generated violence to continue, or is there hope that things may change?
Eric Clay: Sadly, I expect this trend to continue. We’re dealing with patients suffering from behavioral health disorders and substance abuse, both of which drive patient-generated violence. Other factors include a lack of behavioral health beds, overcrowded jails that lead to patients being dropped off at hospitals, and staffing shortages that increase wait times and agitate patients. EMTALA laws also require us to treat aggressive or violent patients, leaving caregivers with few immediate options.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: In your role, you talk to many healthcare safety and security leaders. What advice would you give to help them protect their teams and create safer work environments?
Eric Clay: We need to recognize our responsibility to prevent workplace violence. Leaders should communicate their commitment to this, support employees with medical and psychological care, and train staff to recognize early warning signs. Focus on early interventions and de-escalation to prevent situations from escalating.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: I know we recently saw each other at GSX, the largest global security conference. There were many technological solutions on display—where do you see technology playing a role in mitigating workplace violence? Was there anything at the event that caught your attention?
Eric Clay: There are a lot of emerging technologies that can help reduce incidents and make employees feel safer. Wearable duress alarms, software that integrates with electronic health records to alert staff about violent patients, concealed weapons detection, and body-worn cameras are all part of the solution. Tools like these help staff be more proactive in avoiding violence and escalating situations.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: As we wrap up and focus on the theme of our series, The Safety Shift, what final advice would you give to security leaders to help create safer healthcare environments and communities?
Eric Clay: Violence in healthcare is not just a healthcare issue; it’s a community issue. To ensure communities have access to quality and affordable healthcare, we must prioritize protecting our caregivers. This requires working with lawmakers, regulatory bodies, law enforcement, and associations like IAHSS. If we don’t address workplace violence, it will have long-lasting negative effects on healthcare and patient outcomes.
Blake Lewkowitz - Axon: Thank you again, Eric, for your insights and leadership within IAHSS. We’ve really enjoyed our partnership, and we appreciate you sharing your advice with us today.
Eric Clay: Thanks, Blake. We appreciate the partnership with you and Axon as well.