Keyless locking enhances security, reduces infection
Today, security must extend down to medical devices such as dispensing carts and new portable diagnostic equipment. The conversion of medical records to an electronic format is making it easier to share and access data among the health care network. However, as advised by the Health Information Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA) and EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), patient data must be kept secure and protected from data breaches, adding a level of security concerns for both equipment manufacturers and facility operators.
While this new technology was designed to help streamline work processes for medical personnel, it has also moved equipment out into areas that are more accessible to non-employees, such as the patient bedside and facility corridor. This means that supplies, drugs and other controlled substances may be more vulnerable to theft or human error.
Physical keys need to be carefully managed to ensure they are in the hands of authorized personnel only. These keys must be retrieved and reassigned when employees change shifts or are no longer employed by the institution. With some facilities reporting key loss as a major contributor to procedure disruption, failure to manage keys can create an unwelcome challenge. The use of physical keys also presents a risk to the spread of infection, with multiple staff sharing the same key.
By replacing traditional key locks with electromechanical locks and latches (EMLs) access to medical equipment can be easily modernized to meet evolving security and safety needs. EMLs allow medical equipment manufacturers to build intelligent security into their products. When used as part of an electronic access system (EAS), an electronic lock creates an electronic signature that can provide user authentication, audit trail and reporting capabilities, simplifying security administration and eliminating opportunities for physical security breaches.
Each time an EML equipped enclosure opens or closes, a signal is sent to a monitoring system to confirm and log access. Depending on the configuration, EAS reporting can provide more than just simple open/closed information – such as which credential activated the EML and the time and duration of the event.
Using an EML with all or part of an existing security system is a cost-effective choice for the health care institution considering new or retrofitting existing equipment, as it provides the operator with real-time monitoring, an audit trail of all access activity and the removal of the physical key.
An electronic rotary latch, for example, is a compact latch which is mounted inside the equipment, using minimal interior space and allowing a clean exterior appearance that protects it from vandalism. Electronic rotary latches can be easily wired directly to a wide variety of access-control devices, from standalone keypads to networked RFID proximity readers and biometric readers for a complete remotely managed access system.
Southco Manufacturing Limited – www.southco.com
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