Led by Ben Mance, Lifepoint Health’s Safety and Security Department creates a proactive, prevention-focused approach by working closely with local hospital teams. The team implements multi-layered strategies for training, reporting and response, and develops internal instructors through programs like “Handle with Care” to strengthen situational awareness and de-escalation skills. Human-centered support and real-time incident tracking ensure employee concerns are addressed, and feedback drives continuous improvement. Looking ahead to 2026, the focus is on scaling prevention strategies and deepening workforce competence while fostering shared responsibility across the organization.
Workplace Safety in Healthcare
As a young law enforcement officer, Ben Mance witnessed the impact crime has on victims. As he progressed in his career, Mance developed a passion for prevention through education and continued down a path of teaching as an academy instructor. His journey from law enforcement officer to healthcare executive was shaped by his experience as a hospital security director, where he saw firsthand the role he could have in developing a comprehensive security protocol.
According to Mance, who today serves as vice president of safety and security for the company, a safe environment is more than simply the absence of harm: “It’s about psychological safety, too,” he says. That sense of safety and security is what he and his team strive for across Lifepoint Health’s network of hospitals and care settings.
“Safety for staff and better outcomes for patients is the foundation of the work we do."
This approach reflects a broader commitment to workplace safety in healthcare, where prevention, training and employee support are critical to both staff well-being and patient outcomes.
Drawing upon three decades of experience and 17 years with Lifepoint Health, Mance leads the Safety and Security Department from the organization’s Brentwood, Tennessee, headquarters. His expert team members – all of whom are military veterans – bring more than 125 years of combined military, law enforcement and security experience and works closely with facility leaders to assess risks, enhance training and implement tailored safety strategies that turn employee feedback into meaningful improvements for staff, patients and providers.
Mance continually draws on his law enforcement relationships to connect the domains of law enforcement and healthcare. “We are all working toward the same goal of safety, and my role helps create a shared language to achieve it,” he says.
How Lifepoint Health Emphasizes Workplace Safety in Healthcare
Workplace safety in healthcare requires a proactive, system-wide approach that combines prevention, training, reporting and shared accountability.
- Shared responsibility model – Safety is not owned by one department or individual; it is a shared responsibility that strengthens resilience. Accountability comes from frontline awareness paired with leadership support and resources.
- Prevention-focused systems – Effective safety requires proactive systems that identify risks before they escalate. By embedding prevention into everyday operations, teams can reduce potential incidents.
- Avenues for reporting – Employees are encouraged to “see something, say something,” creating clear pathways to report concerns. Open communication ensures issues are addressed quickly and reinforces a culture where everyone’s voice matters.
- Habit building – Safety becomes most effective when it is integrated into daily routines. By reinforcing consistent practices, employees develop habits that make situational awareness and proactive response second nature, creating a safer workplace for all.
Caring for the People Who Care
Lifepoint’s Safety and Security Department is scaling a prevention-focused model emphasizing the shared responsibility staff have to make the workplace safe. “Our clinical staff are experts in handling events like a Code Blue, which indicates a patient is experiencing cardiac or respiratory arrest. We focus on teaching a clear plan for responding before situations occur so that everyone understands their role,” Mance explains.
Lifepoint’s approach to workplace safety is intentionally multi-layered – training, reporting, response and support all work together as one cohesive strategy. Within Lifepoint’s Health Support Center, the focus is on early identification and intervention, with a strong emphasis on de-escalation – “Because it works, and it’s teachable,” Mance says.
With Lifepoint’s footprint spanning acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and behavioral health hospitals and care settings from coast to coast, Mance says security needs are tailored to the specific facility.
“Local staff know the risks and needs best."
His team assists in identifying and training safety instructors who liaise between the security and clinical teams. “We look for people who excel in this field of work to serve as trainers,” he adds.
“Handle with Care,” a nationally recognized program used across hospitals, schools and corrections systems, was introduced through a train-the-trainer model. That effort has become foundational, focused on building a strong internal instructor core. By developing in-house expertise, the organization can adapt instruction to the unique needs of its teams and reinforce a culture of safety that is proactive, practical and sustainable.
At Lifepoint Health, leadership sets the tone for safety through action, not just policy, by actively listening to frontline staff. Mance’s directors reinforce this approach by regularly visiting hospitals to build trusted, on-the-ground relationships with local teams. By fostering approachability and partnership, they create an environment where employees feel confident raising concerns or reporting emerging risks, strengthening communication pathways and collaboration.
How Does Lifepoint Health Prepare Staff to Handle High-risk Situations?
- Verbal de-escalation training for all staff – Ensures every team member can confidently manage tense situations, enhancing safety across all hospital departments.
- Targeted physical intervention training for higher-risk staff – This competency-based approach prioritizes real-world readiness over checkbox compliance, empowering instructors to build true skill and confidence.
Innovation and AI Redefining Hospital Security
Mance also stays closely connected with peers across large healthcare organizations to track emerging trends that may provide benefit, particularly scalable physical safety solutions like enhanced access control, camera systems and more. While advancements in technology – including AI-driven alerts and detection – continue to strengthen hospital security, he emphasizes that their impact is greatest when paired with a strong, people-focused foundation. As Mance puts it, it all comes back to ensuring a solid baseline of employee readiness, as well-prepared teams remain the most effective layer of safety.
To that end, Mance’s chief focus for 2026 is strengthening and scaling prevention strategies while elevating training approaches to enhance situational awareness and deepen competence across the workforce, acknowledging the real-world challenge that staying vigilant is not always easy. By expanding training and developing skills, Lifepoint helps teams operate safely while fostering a shared sense of responsibility across the organization.
About Lifepoint Health
Founded in 1999, Lifepoint Health is a leader in community-based healthcare with acute care, behavioral health and rehabilitation locations from coast to coast. We believe in making communities healthier® through our vision of creating places where people choose to come for care, physicians want to practice, and employees want to work. From your first day to your next career achievement – your experience matters.