When it became clear that COVID-19 was going to spread across the United States, everyone including healthcare leaders, scientists, and lawmakers came together to determine the financial and operational impact on the hospitals.
Since then, it has become clear that the early predictions significantly underestimated the impact COVID-19 would have. Researchers from Kaiser Permanente and the University of California Berkley have determined that factors such as the need for ICU treatment, fatality risk, and an average length of hospital stay have been much worse than previously predicted. This means there is more strain on hospital resources than expected.
This also means that more people are coming in and out of the hospitals, and since the virus is so contagious, there is a greater need for hands-free security options.
Handsfree Security Options
Due to the pandemic, it has become more critical than ever to ensure the safety of everyone, from patients to hospital staff. This may sound like a tall order, but some options are available that can increase your security and reduce the spread of the virus on your property.
Thermal Temperature Screeners
One of the primary symptoms of the COVID-19 virus is a high temperature. Thermal temperature screeners can scan the temperature of everyone entering your facility to prevent the possibility of someone who does have a high temperature from exposing others. When used properly, these systems can accurately measure someone’s skin temperature without being close to them to evaluate them. However, thermal imaging systems are not able to measure multiple people at one time. Their accuracy is dependent upon their setup and operation. Therefore, you’ll want to hire a professional to get you up and running.
Facial Recognition Technology
Most hospital facilities have secured areas that only specific individuals have access to, which typically feature a keypad for entry. However, with the COVID-19 virus spread, you want to limit how many people touch a particular surface. This is where facial recognition technology can be beneficial.
Facial recognition technology is a form of biometric security in which an individual is identified through their facial features. You would take a picture of the employees and store them in a database. Then, choose who has access to a particular area, and when they come up to the door, their face will be scanned, and if they match the database, the door will open. If not, the door will remain secure.
Some of the other hands-free biometric security options include voice recognition and eye retina/iris recognition. Since these don’t require contact with a particular surface, they can be beneficial in mitigating the spread of the virus.
Video Surveillance
One of the most effective ways to keep everyone safe at your facility is to install video cameras to help your security staff monitor what is going on in the buildings and around the property. In addition to the cameras, you could hire virtual security guards to decrease the number of on-site staff.
When there are fewer people on the property, there is less potential for transmission of the virus.
Virtual security guards are trained to notice threats that others may not pay much attention to. By hiring a virtual security guard, you can allow your staff to be relieved of security duties so that they can focus on their job instead.
Video Conferencing
There are some cases where multiple medical professionals will be required to treat a particular patient. However, it’s no longer safe to meet together physically in a conference room due to the virus. This is where video conferencing comes in.
This is a method of meeting online to discuss a situation, and with a strong internet connection, participants can see, hear, and chat with each other in real-time. This can be used to come up with a treatment plan for a patient.
Conclusion
The biggest threat to hospitals today is the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The number of people affected by the virus has been so much higher than initially expected. Hospitals are filled, and the virus keeps spreading. However, with a few changes to your security system, you can help mitigate the spread within your facility. If you are interested in learning more about hands-free security options for your facility, contact us today for a quote on what we can do for you.
