Securing Your Healthcare Facility: Why Bullet Resistant Doors Are a Must-Have in 2024

Under Threat and Underprepared: Why Bullet Resistant Doors Are Now Essential for Healthcare Facilities

Hospitals and healthcare facilities are meant to be places of healing — sanctuaries where patients can recover and staff can care for those in need. But a sobering reality has emerged in recent years: hospitals are intended to operate as sanctuaries for healing, but unfortunately, these facilities are becoming high-risk areas due to their open access for patients and visitors. As violence inside medical settings continues to escalate, facility administrators can no longer afford to treat physical security as an afterthought. One of the most critical investments any healthcare facility can make in 2024 is upgrading its entry points with ballistic-grade protection.

The Growing Threat Inside Healthcare Walls

The numbers paint a stark picture. Between 2021 and 2022, healthcare professionals experienced more incidents of workplace violence than employees in any other sector of private industry. A January 2024 survey of emergency physicians found that 91% had either been a victim of violence or had a colleague who had been — and 71% characterized violence as “worse than last year.”

A 2024 nationwide survey conducted by National Nurses United found that in 2023, 81.6% of nurses experienced at least one type of workplace violence incident, and nearly half have seen a rise in rates of violence. Meanwhile, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive, there were 739 shootings at healthcare facilities from 2015 to 2021. These are not abstract statistics — they represent real patients, nurses, doctors, and administrative staff placed in danger every single day.

Today’s general belief is that no profession, including healthcare establishments, is immune from gun violence due to active shooters. Active shooter incidents are as likely to occur in rural and urban healthcare facilities at any time. This reality demands a proactive, physical response — not just policies and training.

Why Healthcare Facilities Are Uniquely Vulnerable

Unlike other buildings, hospitals and other healthcare facilities are highly accessible to the public. Emergency rooms, pharmacies, reception desks, and administrative offices are often open environments with little physical separation between staff and potentially dangerous individuals. According to the National Institute of Health, outpatient facilities and the emergency department are two of the most dangerous areas in a hospital, and 34.4% of healthcare workers experience some type of workplace violence.

This open-access design, while necessary for patient care, creates serious security gaps. Health care and social service workers are five times more likely to experience workplace violence-related injuries compared to workers in other sectors. Addressing these vulnerabilities requires more than surveillance cameras or security guards — it requires hardening the physical infrastructure itself.

What Are Bullet Resistant Doors and How Do They Work?

Bullet resistant doors are specially engineered entrance assemblies designed to withstand ballistic impact. Rated under test standards such as UL 752 (Levels 1–10), NIJ 0108.01, or NCEL-MIL-SAMIT, they are constructed with advanced materials including steel cores and ballistic fiberglass panels engineered to stop projectiles and protect occupants.

Most healthcare facilities are protected with bullet-resistant materials tested to UL 752 Level 1 through Level 3, which provide reliable protection against handgun threats. While it’s not common for healthcare environments to require protection against high-powered rifles, some projects do call for Level 4 or higher, depending on the facility’s specific threat assessment and desired level of ballistic protection.

Bullet resistant doors and frames create an effective barrier between the shooter and the healthcare facility’s staff and patients, and can provide invaluable time for police and emergency teams to react to the dangerous situation. This critical delay can mean the difference between a contained incident and a catastrophic one.

For healthcare administrators ready to take action, investing in Bullet resistant doors is one of the most direct and effective steps toward creating a safer environment for staff and patients alike.

Key Areas in Healthcare Facilities That Need Ballistic Protection

Modern Ballistic Doors Don’t Sacrifice Aesthetics

A common concern among facility managers is that adding ballistic protection will make their healthcare environment feel cold, institutional, or intimidating to patients. This is no longer a valid concern. In environments where safety, security, and regulatory compliance are paramount, bullet resistant doors play a vital role — and are widely used in settings such as healthcare institutions while preserving functionality and aesthetics.

Bullet resistant windows, ballistic doors, security transaction windows, and reinforced storefront systems are engineered to integrate seamlessly into modern architectural designs while delivering the highest levels of protection. Each system is custom manufactured to meet the specific security requirements of the project while maintaining the visual appearance expected in today’s architectural environments.

Trust Action Bullet Resistant to Protect Your Facility

When it comes to securing healthcare facilities with industry-leading ballistic solutions, Action Bullet Resistant stands apart. Headquartered in West Islip, New York, Action Bullet Resistant specializes in fabricating bullet resistant windows and doors, blast resistant windows and doors, and non-bullet resistant storefronts and architectural metal systems.

At Action Bullet Resistant, engineering and testing are central to everything they build. Their systems are designed to meet or exceed recognized industry standards including UL 752 ballistic protection levels, ensuring reliable defense against firearm threats. Their team of engineers, designers, and skilled craftsmen work together to produce durable, high-performance ballistic systems trusted by security professionals worldwide.

Proudly made in the USA, their products are crafted with precision to seamlessly integrate into any environment while meeting the highest safety standards. Action Bullet Resistant specializes in designing and manufacturing advanced security solutions to protect what matters most. Beyond ballistic protection, their products are engineered to resist forced entry, smash-and-grab attacks, and hostile intrusion, providing a comprehensive security solution for facilities where safety cannot be compromised.

The Time to Act Is Now

The escalating wave of violence targeting healthcare workers and patients is not slowing down. These events have continued to escalate, and the healthcare environment has not been immune. More and more healthcare workers are calling for stronger security protocols to better protect frontline staff from harm. Facility administrators who wait for an incident to occur before investing in physical security upgrades are taking an unacceptable risk with the lives of their staff, patients, and visitors.

Bullet resistant doors are essential components in high-risk or safety-conscious environments. By providing verified ballistic protection, integration with safety standards, and architectural flexibility, they deliver unmatched value — not just in terms of security — but in compliance, functionality, and longevity. In 2024 and beyond, they are not a luxury — they are a necessity. Contact Action Bullet Resistant today to learn how their custom-engineered solutions can help transform your healthcare facility into a safer space for everyone inside.