The Security Industry Association (SIA) Health Care Security Interest Group was launched in late 2015 to bring better understanding and solutions to health care security industry. The group will also track emerging technologies and not just the hardware. The group intends to focus on the role of metrics and analytics in making the most of current systems and in developing capabilities for new customers. The group will also serve as an information-sharing hub for members, and work toward developing best practices across the vertical.
Violent attacks in hospital wards and healthcare institutions can pose a serious challenge to security authorities. Technological solutions can help tackle this problem.
In addition to assaults, there are patients who escape – including prisoners, mental health patients – and raising the chances for mass shootings.
As a result, SecureIDNews reports that the US health care field has been ramping up its security services to meet the threat.
The video surveillance cameras, ID badges and bracelets outfitted with radio frequency identification (RFID) or other smart technology for patients and staff, the integrated alarm systems, mass notifications, license plate readers, and smart card-enabled access control, all combine for this purpose. The infant tags, for example, are already ubiquitous, and as a result infant abductions today are rare, according to the FBI.
Meanwhile, moving a health care institution’s access control systems to Internet Protocols (IP) and the improvement of cellular networks have improved physical security capabilities tenfold. Also, the Internet of Things (IoT) expands the universe of possibilities requiring full-time management and proactive cybersecurity to keep enterprising hackers at bay.
Strategic integration is key for security systems. All elements of the security apparatus need to be connected, for example, license plate readers and video surveillance not only need to be in HD resolution and accessible by mobile devices and web-enabled platforms, but should be programmed with analytics that need to trigger alarms and lockdowns based on that facility’s risk factors.
IP-connectivity enables them to communicate – that includes all video and access control systems, wireless voice radio communications and panic devices at each PC workstation, which are transmitted via the network to the campus command center.
Nurses and other staff also wear these devices as they move through the buildings. Wireless connectivity also enables mass emergency notifications, which are critical to campus-wide alerts.
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