It was common years ago – as far back as the 1930s – for a metropolitan hotel
to have a staff doctor keep an eye on the health of its guests.
But as time wore on, the nation turned litigious. Policies at large chains gained a global outlook and managers depended on local rescue personnel when a guest got sick. The fear of lawsuits may be dissipating as policies shift again toward a hotel-based focus on guests’ well-being.
Richard Brush, dean of the hospitality department at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, said hotels are doing more to enhance health safeguards for its guests as stiffer security measures are put in place in the wake of Sept. 11.
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Some of the more popular programs have been in first aid and CPR.
“More sophisticated plans are in place, even at more regional hotels,” said Brush. “I think hotels in general have been more willing to invest in training and certification of employees now that revenues and occupancy rates are increasing.”
John C. Fannin, president and CEO of SafePlace Corp. based in Wilmington, Del., said he disagrees with this notion. Fannin’s business provides national safety accreditation to institutions, including hotels, that certify they meet national benchmarks in fire safety, security and health.
He said the lodging industry has at most times been woefully inadequate at addressing health, as well as safety, concerns of their guests. Much of what he has seen has been investment in equipment.
“Investment in technology is not enough,” he said. “Training employees is more important.”
This training includes getting workers certified in procedures like CPR as well as in the fundamentals of security and hiring practices. Fannin contends that lack of training results in situations in which a criminal act, such as theft or assaults, is missed.
“There are 10,000 security-related lawsuits among the 53,000 hotels in the United States, and those only represent 10 percent of what’s reported,” he said.
J. Rudi Heater, general manager of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick, said there is ample reason for hotels to fear lawsuits. Good Samaritan laws are not strong enough to protect hotels if they get into a situation where a staff member tries to save a person’s life.
“I was working at a hotel when a guest started choking at the steak and (pork) chop restaurant. An employee did the Heimlich maneuver and saved his life,” he said. “But the man got two cracked ribs and sued us for $4 million.”
He says the hotel industry is not as ill-prepared as Fannin says. In fact, Heater says the marketplace demands that hotels, particularly larger ones, put more health and security features in place.
“I have found that most of the national brands are racing at the same speed,” he said. “When it comes to life issues and security I think (Fannin) is misinformed.”
The Crowne Plaza has invested several thousand dollars in certifying its 260 employees in CPR and first aid training, installing a video surveillance system and electronic locks on doors. Heater also runs fire drills two times a year to put safety procedures to the test.
“Life safety issues have been fifth on a list of five priorities,” he said. “Now, after 9-11, it’s No. 2 behind fire safety.”
Donna Rae Leggett, general manager of Ramada Inn in Middletown, said her hotel is in a good position in terms of security.
“We are right next to a military base and they’ve trained us to be on the lookout for things out of the ordinary,” she said. She adds that there are two employees trained in CPR, including herself. However, like most hotels, the health issue of most importance is cleanliness.
Robert Cacchiotti, general manager at Extended Stay America – Warwick, said emergency situations are usually handled through a call to 911. He said he is not aware of any particular policies at the hotel requiring CPR or first aid training.
“Speaking for myself, it would help if training were mandatory,” he said.
Fannin advocates stricter standards, some of which have been put in place at some higher-end hotels nationally and that, he hopes, will trickle down into the marketplace. Brush said a little more could be done at the legislative level.
“I would support legislation that would put defibrillators in all hotels,” he said.
Heater, however, said legislation is the wrong way to go.
“It should be up to the marketplace,” he said. “Customers should be aware of what a hotel offers in health and security so they can develop a sense of confidence in the place they are staying.”
