No healthcare IP network security design is complete without integrating video surveillance, alert systems, access controls and other measures to help ensure patients and staff safety, as well as compliance with regulations.
Video surveillance can be designed to your facility’s exact needs, ensuring the best security possible. Having the best security allows a healthcare’s staff to focus on providing patients with the best care possible.
Emerge IT can assess your network and recommend what components you should consider.
IP Video Surveillance
Strategically integrating IP video surveillance provides a clear view of patients and facilities. In the event of a crime or disturbance, it provides evidence as to the identity of those involved. When it is known that a facility has video surveillance, people are less likely to attempt a crime or harmful act.
Unified Access Control
Unified access control lets you assign levels of access to different physical areas and specific employees, based on what they do. Integrated with video surveillance, it allows continuous monitoring and activity recording. It also provides for facility-wide or departmental lockdowns. Most systems are IP-based. They provide centralized control, and let you secure areas, people and assets using a credential.
How to Summon Help
Employee badges can have wireless call functionality and be used to call for help over your wireless network or Wi-Fi. Their specific location will also be detected so help can arrive quickly in the event of a threatening situation.
This level of precaution not only ensures the ultimate safety of your workforce, but it also gives your entire team a certain peace of mind, to know that “help is on the way” in the event of any disaster or physical threat.
Intrusion Detection Systems
An intrusion detection system (IDS) will monitor your network traffic in search of any malicious activity or unwanted break-in.
If someone is actively trying to break-in to your network, the IDS will flag the attempt and can also be set to trigger immediate, precautionary action against the intruder. The IDS will scan your system regularly, and notify your admin team of suspicious activity in real-time.
Emerge IT will base intrusion-detection system recommendations on the layout and needs of your healthcare facility.
Emergency Notification Devices
Employees and visitors alike can be quickly warned and directed to safety when a threat occurs. An emergency notification system uses your designated notification channels. Emergency directions to those in your facility or on the grounds are delivered through your communication system, such as phone, text, public announcement system and more.
Walkaway & Fall Detection
In the event that a patient or facility resident leaves or gets lost, they can be tracked through sensors and tags. These systems are designed with safety in mind, but can actually be configured with privacy in mind as well.
This type of automated detection system also works when a patient has fallen and needs help.
These auto-detection systems are most important with the very young and very old, yet also beneficial in crime-related injuries where legal justice needs served once a patient is stable.
Protecting Infants and Children
Similarly, tags with tamper alarms integrated with your access control and security cameras can provide additional safety for very young patients.
Global Threat Reduction Initiative (GTRI)
Implementing security requirements stated in the GTRI is aimed at keeping terrorists from getting materials to use in radiological attacks. Remote monitoring, access control systems, proper disposal of unused nuclear and radiological materials, emergency notifications to law enforcement and other measures keep your facility following this initiative.
Managing Assets and Equipment
Medical equipment that is marked with asset tags communicate with existing systems to provide exact location and condition. This means medical equipment that will not be lost.
In addition to protecting assets, the tags allow medical staff to quickly locate needed equipment, improving patient care and speeding work.
Environmental Monitoring
Condition and temperature data of critical medicines, blood, vaccines or laboratory samples can be recorded and tracked, making sure these items are safe for patient use. This eliminates the need to manually report and record the data, saving you both time and money.
The security procedures and systems that are best for your facility depend on a number of factors that need to be assessed. They include your facility’s size, what type of equipment it houses, the jobs your employees have to do and the type of patients or residents you treat.
For more information about our IP Surveillance solutions and how Emerge can present you with options to keep your employees and patients safe, call us today at 859-746-1030.