A victim of an October assault is voicing her concern about safety in the University Health System through letters to University authorities.
Heather, who requested that her last name be withheld, was the victim of an Oct. 19 assault in the West Complex of the University Hospital. She is a graduate student and Ph.D. candidate in the School of Medicine.
Heather said that on Saturday, Oct. 19 at about
10:30 a.m., she entered the West Complex's Barringer Wing through a door that usually is locked.
An unidentified assailant attacked her as she approached an elevator, but she successfully deterred him.
"He just grabbed me from behind and put his arms around me," Heather said. "I screamed and fought, and luckily it's a public enough place that I guess he got scared and ran."
Heather was not physically injured in the attack.
In response to the incident, Heather wrote a letter with suggestions for improved employee security in the West Complex. Recipients included President John T. Casteen III, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Leonard W. Sandridge, Medicine School Dean Arthur Garson, Interim Director of Hospital Security Vincent Jones and others.
Heather said she is not optimistic that her assailant will be identified.
"They're not going to catch this guy," Heather said. "The guy took off running -- there's so many entrances and exits that he could have been anywhere when the police arrived."
Heather said she hopes her letter campaign will affect future employee security and help her feel safer in her work environment.
"On Saturdays, most of the building is open because there are patient clinics in there," Heather said. "Even when the whole building is locked down, you can come in through the Emergency Room or through the library. There's always a way in."
Heather's letter asks for more security cameras in West Complex entrance areas.
The letter also asks for an increased number of locked doors and better surveillance of entrance areas. She also is requesting more swipe card entrances that are activated when patient traffic is low in evenings and on weekends.
"I want security cameras," Heather said. "There are fire doors practically every 10 feet, and all they have to do is put a swipe card on a few of those, and you could separate people who belong from people who don't."
University Police Capt. Michael Coleman, a former hospital security director, said doors are a major safety problem at hospitals.
"Although hospital security does check doors, they can check a door one minute and someone can take a shortcut through it the next minute and either unlock it or prop it open," Coleman said.
Coleman said hospital security discourages this practice in employee training, and that hospital security is constantly re-evaluating protocol.
"Twice a year, hospital security does safety walks around and through the buildings," Coleman said. "If they have complaints of the type that [Heather] is making in her letter, they will look at different types of recommendations to the hospital for improvements."
Sandridge said Heather's letters received immediate attention from University authorities.
"I have asked several people who have a role in providing security services for the West Complex to review the findings and proposals contained in her letter," Sandridge said. "They will provide their assessment to me promptly. I take [Heather's] letter and its message very seriously."
Sandridge said many agencies are involved in implementing hospital security.
"Many of the safety and security policies in the Medical Center are administrative, and deal with the special nature of a hospital environment," Sandridge said. "[Chief Executive Officer] Ed Howell has authority from the Board of Visitors' Medical Center Operating Board to develop and institute such policies. University-wide policies related to security also apply."
Sandridge said Heather's letters will not go unanswered.
"We can certainly learn from [Heather's] unfortunate experience," Sandridge said. "The review we are now undertaking is a direct result of her expressing these concerns."
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