Identiv 2020 (1)

can include tracking where wheelchairs and
gurneys are stored on the campus or tagging
packages that are at high risk of theft, such as
medication like painkillers. These and other
customizable applications can be accomplished
by using RFID and NFC tags. The same
solutions can be used to monitor the location of
infants or patients at risk for wandering.
Smart card credentials and readers can handle
allowing or denying access, but they are even
more powerful and agile when paired with a
physical access management platform. These
platforms can track movements and easily
change parameters around access for certain
users or times of the day. The specific needs
for access points, which may change over time,
could impact the locking mechanism needed
for one doorway or another throughout a
hospital environment.
What healthcare facilities need
Healthcare facilities require as little down time
as possible at their entryways to secure areas.
When an access path is taken out of
commission, it ideally should be for as short a
time as possible. Integrators should consider
exploring wireless locks as one way to speed
up an install and cause less disruption for both
doctors and patients.
Wireless locks can be implemented into doors
easier and faster than their wired counterparts,
which expand the areas of interruption and
increase install times. Hospital employees need
to be allowed quick and easy access around a
hospital to best help their patients. Blocking or
eliminating the use of a doorway, which is
necessary for wired solutions that require the
installation of multiple different elements, could
impede many critical functions.
For example, patients might have their activity
or sleep upset, both of which are necessary
elements of recovery. A shorter installation time
with wireless locks means that work can be
more easily scheduled at a convenient time for
patients and doctors, which is a value
proposition that integrators who only offer wired
solutions cannot compete with.
Protecting data
Due to the nature of their work, healthcare
centres collect and maintain many types of
sensitive data. In the event of a breach,
patients’ sensitive information could be
maliciously accessed via a weak point in the
IDENTIV EDITION |11
network. Endpoint devices that access the
network should be cybersecure against
vulnerabilities.
When many systems are interconnected,
having proper cybersecurity protocols among
all devices is a necessary step to ensure that
all systems are running smoothly.
Using analytics
Security providers have, for years, been finding
new ways to utilize existing infrastructure, and
one consistent area of overlap is among video
systems, analytics and business intelligence.
Video analytics, when used alongside access
control, can provide valuable insight. Users in
healthcare are engaging with analytics to
improve consumer experiences and help to
more effectively provide patient service. For
example, when integrated with access control,
analytics can provide insight into busier times
of days, trends in patient needs and more in an
effort to better assist during peak periods.
Certain doorways, such as those housing highrisk
patients, have trigger points that let
administrators know of a variety of event types:
door holding, door forced, etc. Integrators who
opt to pair this with video analytics provide their
end users with the situational awareness
necessary to make an informed decision.
For example, if a provider does not close a
door after leaving a room, data gathered from
access control and analytics can alert staff, but
simply closing the door will fix the issue. On the
other hand, if a patient is actively trying to
escape their room, administrators can deploy
on-site staff to de-escalate the situation.
The goal within healthcare is very similar
across all applications: keeping the wrong
people out while letting the right people in.
Hospitals must be able to track and locate
critical equipment or resources while also
monitoring all the people entering secure areas
and their reasons for doing so. To be
successful, integrators must understand that
hospitals are unique environments dedicated to
openness, but also have many security
considerations. Integrators who have a solid
understanding of the ins and outs of will more
easily gain the trust of end users.
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