Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Healthed Annual Women’s & Children’s Health Update at the Perth Convention & Exhibition Centre. It was an incredible event that brought together hundreds of GPs from across the region. For us at ORB Software, it was a valuable opportunity to introduce Exhail—our discreet desktop safety alert tool—and discuss how it can play a vital role in creating safer clinic environments.
What struck me most was how open and candid everyone was. So many healthcare professionals were willing to share personal stories, experiences, and vulnerabilities related to safety in their workplace. While no two clinics are the same, one consistent theme emerged: many practitioners have no clear or reliable method to call for help when things escalate.
Some of the real-life examples shared were eye-opening:
- working in clinic where a Doctor was attacked with an axe.
- Another’s car was stolen from the clinic.
- Several attendees said they’ve started at new clinics without ever being shown safety procedures.
- One GP admitted, “If I need help, I’ll just have to yell.”
- Some didn’t know whether their clinic had a panic button at all.
- Others said theirs was installed behind the patient, making it almost impossible to use in an emergency.
- A particularly confronting story involved a maternity doctor who was cornered by an angry father, with no way to raise an alarm.
These are not just outlier incidents—they’re stories from the frontline.
What I kept emphasising during these conversations is that Exhail is not a replacement for existing safety systems like panic buttons—it’s designed to complement them. In some situations, Exhail might be the only option for safely and discreetly signalling for help. It can be triggered in seconds, silently, and without drawing attention—helping to de-escalate before things turn dangerous.
The Healthed team also shared data from a 2021 survey on Aggression and Violence in healthcare settings. While the “frequently” category for verbal abuse, threats, and sexual harassment may appear low at a glance, combining it with “rarely,” “sometimes,” and “fairly often” paints a very different picture.
Think about what those numbers really mean—not just statistically, but in human terms. If someone on your team is experiencing this even occasionally, that’s already too much. And given the changing pressures on healthcare over the past few years, I fear a 2025 update to the same survey would show a worsening trend.
The message is clear: even if you personally haven’t encountered aggression or harassment in your clinic, others likely have. The question is—what can they do in those critical moments? How can they discreetly and effectively get help?
Throughout the event, I kept returning to a simple point: “Exhail is a product we sincerely hope you never need to use. But having it installed, ready, and at your fingertips provides a layer of reassurance – for you, your staff, and your patients.”
Let’s not wait for an incident to spark change. Let’s plan ahead, support one another, and create safer environments for everyone working in healthcare.
If you’d like to try Exhail in your workplace, contact us here and we’ll help get you started.
Mark Libman
Sales and Marketing Manager
ORB Software Development
