Operating 24/7 with a steady stream of patients for emergency and routine services, healthcare facilities face unique security challenges in keeping staff, patients, and facilities safe and secure. As IP technology continues to improve the functionality and performance of video monitoring, hospital security video systems are moving into a new phase of usability and application.
At healthcare facilities, the biggest concerns center around liability, safety, and the protection of people, property, and physical assets. Common problems include:
By integrating video analytics with an open platform video management system (VMS), security systems can watch, analyze, and report issues immediately to help mitigate safety concerns. The Milestone XProtect open platform VMS integrates technological advancements such as video analytics to ensure better security, service levels, and business performance in the healthcare sector.
Tightening security with video analytics
Perimeter security is just one of the many ways video surveillance supports the healthcare industry. VMS with video analytics can identify and alert operators to handle issues with abandoned objects, loud sound detection, smoke and fire detection, and personnel monitoring. For example, when investigating incidents of theft or vandalism, operators can access video analytic tools to search for people involved in specific situations.
Healthcare facilities are often highly trafficked areas with a steady stream of patients, visitors, and staff, making it difficult to keep track of the number of people on-premise. Advanced headcount features help hospital authorities monitor the number and locations of individuals to aid emergency evacuation or people management, including preventing patients from wandering off prematurely or protecting infants from being abducted.
Video analytics software can also detect if people are yelling, which is an action that might indicate potential violent activity. This is where the VMS can provide another level of monitoring to help determine when medical staff may need security assistance to deter violence.
Preventing accidents and reducing liability with AI
AI-based analytics paired with the VMS are able to detect pre-fall conditions to reduce the chances that a person in a healthcare facility will fall. For example, if a patient has kicked off the blanket from the bed or drops a crutch, video analytics will alert nurses. The alarm is sent right at the moment the potential risk occurs, so staff can intervene before a fall happens.
Occasionally, hospital staff may be accused of mistreating patients. Using archives of video recordings, healthcare facilities mitigate legal risks. This is made possible by the VMS with on-premise storage. The VMS allows for quick and accurate searching of hundreds of hours of video recordings, providing evidence that healthcare facilities may need to prove their staff acted appropriately.
Learn more
Convergint, partnered with Milestone, has the experience and expertise needed to help today’s healthcare facilities make a successful migration to XProtect, an open and scalable VMS platform that improves security and enhances patient experience. Contact a Convergint expert to learn more.
