Image courtesy of Genetec

When identifying the highest incidents of workplace violence by sector, healthcare often ranks high for external threats. A report from the American Hospital Association (AHA) in June 2025 determined these external threats have notable financial repercussions against organizations, calculating the total cost of violence to be $18.27 billion. 

According to the 2026 State of Physical Security Report, the greatest challenges currently facing the sector are: 

• Upskilling staff (42%)
• Outdated IT infrastructure (40%)
• Difficulty attracting and retaining talent (38%) 

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.

These organizations are leveraging physical security information to benefit outcomes outside of conventional security matters, including: 

• Safety/security improvements (60%)
• Operational efficiency for security teams (52%)
• Regulatory compliance (49%)
• Employee/patient experience (44%) 

Furthermore, 39% of respondents indicated collaboration with other departments to be a priority, emphasizing physical security’s interconnected role for organizations.