Many people believe that hospitals are orderly and well-organized environments where security is never a concern. However, hospitals have a long list of high-priority security concerns, including the safety of patients and children, emergency room security, pharmaceutical control, equipment security, and visitor management systems. That’s why hospitals require unique and powerful security solutions to address traffic flow, demanding medical schedules, complicated environments, and unanticipated emergencies. Here are five reasons why hospitals need high-tech security systems.
1. Mass Notification Systems
An alarm system makes it easier to notify people in hospitals during emergencies such as fire outbreaks. However, you can also customize some fire detect alarms to sound alarms for other intrusion situations.
The security guards should also have radios with law enforcement frequencies to help reduce the response time in case of medical and other emergencies.
2. Access Control
Access systems help to solve logistics nightmares in a hospital. Having security guards in every entry and exit point would need a big security budget. But modern technology has made access control more efficient. Your security team can remotely deny intruders access while giving access to authorized personnel. These access control systems range from badge-based systems to advanced biometric technologies. In short, purchasing access control systems will help your security improve hospital safety without bothering guests, team members, or patients.
3. Tracking Patients and Visitors
Your hospital needs to have integrated security and monitoring technologies that track patients and guests. Tracking systems are efficient and accurate and cannot be overstated if your goal is to improve the hospital’s security. Patient care management is important because patient wandering is a major concern for patient safety and well-being. If patients wander about the hospital, an integrated security management system will allow you to keep track of them. Tracking capabilities are critical if your facility shelters mentally ill individuals or elderly folks with dementia.
On the other hand, you can track your guests using a visitor’s management system that ensures every guest signs in, identifies, and wears a badge while visiting the hospital. These systems can also prevent visitors from accessing restricted areas and create silent alarms to keep your patients from danger. If anyone who shouldn’t be in the hospital attempts to enter, your security personnel can handle the case.
You can also buy a visitor management system that can cross-reference names with government databases for registered sex offenders.
4. Detect Security Threat Instantly Using Video Surveillance Systems
Hospitals need to monitor and record site activities 24/7 due to the constant flow of patients, guests, and employees, creating a unique need for safety and security. A patient escaping, for example, is one of the most high-risk events that your facility may encounter. Losing track of a mentally ill subject or an elderly patient in cognitive decline can cost your hospital millions in lawsuits. That’s why hospitals should invest in video surveillance systems with features. Security cameras can deter and monitor unauthorized entry into a hospital by capturing events in video form.
Video surveillance systems with such technologies effectively address threats without straining your staff. The security feeds can be monitored by one employee from a centralized location within the hospital. These systems will help you tighten security without spoiling the patient’s experience. Cameras are also less threatening and allow you to balance the need for safety and customer service.
In addition, CCTV surveillance can also provide video evidence to aid law enforcement investigations to protect hospital management from liability claims.
5. Monitoring Your Surrounding Area Through Social Media
The security team needs to have a social media monitoring unit to get advanced shootings or other incidents by integrating social media within the hospital location. Therefore, your hospital can get time to marshal more security and prepare to receive an influx of patients or prepare to lockdown.
To sum it up, there’s a need for you to upgrade your security systems. The security of your hospital shouldn’t be left to chance. The best way to improve your hospital’s security is to incorporate the security system, access control, and emergency alarms and systems. You should combine these systems into your security system to work together and ensure your employees, visitors, patients, and equipment are well protected.