LHSC expects as many as 20 threats a day to be caught by AI security system

A new safety measure at a London hospital emergency department hopes to crack down on weapon incidents. CTV’s Sean Irvine has the details.

New technology capable of identifying a gun or a knife as people pass through it will go online at London Health Sciences Centre on Tuesday.

In advance, hospital officials expect it will detect upwards of 20 threats per day.

“We are seeing a rise in incidents involving weapons, and LHSC is no exception to this,” said Supervisor David Musyj.

Leased for $7,701.17 per month, the technology will initially go online at University Hospital. The ER at Victoria Hospital will be equipped on May 6.

LHSC is among a dozen healthcare facilities in Ontario that utilize the system.

When Windsor Regional Hospital implemented it 18 months ago, its security team discovered as many as 17 “knives and other threats” each day.

Musyj expects LHSC will exceed that.

“I would imagine on any given day, at the start of this in the two emergency departments, there is going to be at least 20 to 40 items combined coming through those doors, if not greater.”

The items could be pocketknives and needles used for illegal drugs.

While the artificial intelligence software is anticipated to enhance safety, it can do little to prevent incidents like a shooting late last year.

On Dec. 14, glass doors were shattered, and another door was left with a bullet hole in an incident outside the emergency room.

“This will not prevent that from happening”, said Musyj. “But again, the goal is to do everything we can to reduce the risk of something like that coming into the body of the hospital.”

“I think it adds another tool in our resources,” said facilities director Chris Askew. “For our security team to help, you know, keep that comfort level here and ensure that the staff safety is first and foremost, as well as our patients and our visitors.”

Still, the technology is not perfect. For example, it identified A CTV television camera and car keys carried by a reporter as a weapon/threat.

In response, officials claimed the system will learn from its errors, as it enhances safety and security.

“LHSC is not immune to these issues that we’re facing, and we can’t ignore them,” concluded Musyj.

There are no immediate plans to expand the system to other areas of the hospital.