Preventing unauthorized access is becoming more and more of a priority in the healthcare industry today. With expensive equipment and a transient population of patients, staff and visitors, effective security in hospitals is a vital need. NGSC has a team of security specialists who supply both the equipment and the extensive knowledge to execute the design, installation, and distribution of widespread security management systems for these medical facilities.
With a high volume of people on site at any time, hospitals and long-term care facilities need to adopt the strictest of security measures. Access control, alarm detection and video surveillance systems can be used on these premises to ensure that only authorized personnel can access specific areas of the building.
In today’s society, a hospital’s security is a high priority as all staff need to be as vigilant as ever in identifying and reacting quickly to suspect behavior. More and more serious incidents and attacks are taking place within healthcare environments, leading to on-going efforts by administrators and officials to prevent further incidents – while protecting the staff and the hospital premises.
More About Understanding Access Control
Access control provides the ability to monitor and restrict the movement of people, assets or vehicles, in, out and around a building or facility. It has a wide range of applications from controlling a single entrance door with an electronic lock, to a large integrated security network consisting of card readers, biometric readers, electronic locks, parking gates, intercoms, and a control center.
Access control systems consist of multiple components. First, there is the physical barrier, which restricts access into a building. This is achieved through methods such as electromagnetic locks or other electronic locking devices. Turnstiles and speedgates, which are designed to limit access to one person for one card presented can be implemented while parking barrier arms or gates can be added for larger areas. Next, there is the identification device, which identifies users of an access control system before granting access. There are a variety of different devices including card readers (including proximity, smart card, magnetic swipe, barcode readers, PIN pads,or biometric readers which use typically fingerprint, hand geometry, or iris scanning). This equipment can be used throughout a hospital or home care site, granting access to authorized users while reducing the risk of intruders.
Door controllers and software is used to communicate with the readers and programmed database to grant or deny access through openings. There are several options when it comes to installing this technology. A standalone door controller linked to a single door with no software is one options, while a number of door controllers all linked together to a single managed system to control one site is another. Another option is having a number of sites all interlinked together over a wide network area. All three door security system types are effective and depend on the facilities’ requirements.
In addition to their transient population, hospitals and residential care homes must take into consideration the high value equipment that is kept on-site including computers, laptops and projectors, drugs, and lab and testing equipment. The personal possessions of staff, patients and visitors is also of high priority. The same can be said for the abundance of confidential documents such as patients’ records will be stored on the premises of the hospital or residential care home. Consequently, electronic access control systems are increasingly being used to enhance safety and security in hospitals and similar facilities to ensure authorized access into designated areas
Access control technology can be integrated with other security measures to provide an even higher level of protection for facilities including hospitals and residential care homes. Video surveillance is a popular choice when combining access control with other technology as it greatly assists on-site efforts. Should an unauthorized person make an attempt to access a specific secured area, this action can be recorded in the event that the video footage is needed in the future for a subsequent investigation. Furthermore, it can act as a warning systems to intruders because the individual knows that they may be watched in their attempt to enter the secured area. This technology is particularly useful to hospitals and residential care homes in areas where medication, patients’ records or expensive equipment is stored.
The integration of access control can also be combined with intrusion alarm technology. If unauthorized personnel attempts to access a secure area, an alarm can be triggered, drawing attention to that individual in the hope that it will deter them from continuing to break through the barrier. It can notify security staff of the incident and allow them to respond to the location of the alarm. NGSC specializes in combining access control technology along with modern CCTV surveillance, intrusion detection, or other systems into integrated, comprehensive systems for its customers.
As each property is different in multiple ways, each has its very own requirements. For instance in a hospital setting, patient care and access control cannot be at odds, as having a system that allows for easy and unified access for authorized personnel is a requirement. At the same time, being aware and having a system designed to prevent someone who has knowledge of valuable equipment and is seeking an opportunity to make an easy theft in a hospital setting is vital.
Regarding equipment packages and installation, the combination of multiple manufacturers’ products are required to meet the demanding applications that our clients desire. Fortunately, industry standards in security equipment allow diverse makes and models of security products to be integrated to work cohesively. Since NGSC solves these problems on a daily basis, our team is well versed in cutting-edge solutions that can often solve a client’s security needs while staying within a project’s budget.
For more information on these systems, please contact us at, 540-338-8160 or through our Contact Us page.
