An exploration of how modern access control systems are helping hospitals to balance the need for security with the continued presence of staff, patients and visitors.
Security is a key consideration
Hospitals are, on the whole, open 24/7, to a large volume of people, including staff, patients and visitors.
Also kept on site are many high-value goods such as IT and medical equipment, personal possessions of staff and patients, confidential documents such as patient notes, and some extremely-powerful and controlled drugs.
A balancing act
The very-latest electronic access control systems are increasingly being specified to enhance safety and security and to enable access only to people with the necessary authority.
Mike Campbell is business development manager at Comelit Group, which has worked with hospital trusts across the UK. He said, “Security, right from the perimeter, and door entry systems, must be able to accommodate a growing and changing environment, with hundreds of people milling the halls every day.
Ben Farrar is market development manager at Traka, which has installed access control solutions at Leicester Hospital, The London Clinic, and Addenbrooke’s Hospital among others. He added, “Each hospital will require its own independent specification when it comes to access control. This is shaped by the age of the buildings and their existing security portfolio, often purchased at different stages between departments and over many years.
“Aside from the physical systems installed, hospitals must also balance the welcoming feel of the building design, intended for peace and healing, with managing constant visitor traffic, securing multiple buildings and hectic emergency departments, maintaining sensitive areas, and increasingly enforcing drug control, all on a 24/7/365 basis.”
Access control systems must consider:
The needs of patients
The needs of staff
The components of hospital access control systems
“It’s hard to find the right system in a highly-competitive market. But the ones designed specifically for healthcare environments are more likely to understand the complex needs” explains Campbell.
Case study – Omagh Hospital
Comelit recently created a bespoke solution where access control interfaces with intercoms located at external building entrances, internal ward entrances, and individual department entrances.
Over 50 systems have been installed across the whole site using the company’s ViP and Simplebus technologies.
A mix of Vandalcom and Ikall Entry panels were also used, calling Icona Video monitors.
And a range of emergency call points are located in the car park, all centrally managed and provided with a concierge unit facility and offsite monitoring, using Comelit’s C-Bridge to connect to the South Western Area Hospital in Enniskillen.
New- build or refurbishment
Campbell said: “Discuss security as early as possible, even in the initial design and specification process for a facility, whether it be new or old.
“It is important to strategically place any security technology so that it is unobtrusive and does not affect the aesthetics of a healthcare facility, which would have been carefully designed to support patient, staff and visitor health and wellbeing.”
While most modern systems can be easily retrofitted into existing facilities, the project success will often depend on connectivity.
Campbell said: “In a new build, naturally the entire system can be installed from scratch using the latest technology. They are generally installed with Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to enable fast and instant communications across an entire facility. They also have more opportunity to blend in with the surroundings.
“In upgrades to existing systems, security options usually have to rely on a dedicated local area network (LAN,) which often only spans a relatively-small area.
“It’s really important, therefore, to check at the time of commissioning that the networks are operational to accommodate security upgrades to avoid delays, especially in bringing doors online to utilise access control.”
The future evolution of emerging smart systems
“Wider-range RFID technology and GPS location of items will significantly benefit hospitals” Farrar said.
“Biometrics and retina scanning are also now being specified, especially for sensitive areas; and auto-drug vender lockers are helping to manage drug control safely, even to the extent that different healthcare professionals can have controlled access to only areas they need for their own patients.
He concludes: “The ideal future proof solution is becoming more integrated - where a building management system and single database is controlling all aspect of fire safety and security across a hospital site.
“The reason this is important is if a staff member leaves, they can be removed in real time from the entire system, leaving no vulnerabilities due to retained credential access.”
Campbell added: “Security is seeing more integration with building control systems through the Internet of Things.
“Intercoms are increasingly operated through WiFi - beneficial on busy wards where healthcare teams no longer have to return to stations to allow access".
Furthermore, healthcare access control systems are rapidly evolving to accommodate the increasing reliance on mobile devices.
“These elements will all help budget and resource-stretched hospital managers make large cost and efficiency savings, as they are no longer reliant on distributing cards as new or replacement options,” said Campbell.
