Seven Ways Synergy Can Improve Hospital Safety and Security

Here are seven ways Synergy security and surveillance software can help hospital control room teams manage their mission to protect property and people.  

Unifies security management  

Synergy’s open architecture enables the integration of any third-party system and device. 

This capability allows surveillance operators to view CCTV footage and monitor and manage alerts from a unified platform. These alerts include fire, smoke, and chemical sensors, ANPR alerts, access control systems, movement sensors, staff ID systems, analytics solutions, and other hospital security technologies. 

Consolidating the management of multiple systems into a single unified platform saves busy teams considerable time, improving efficiency and productivity. It also delivers a 360° view of safety and security incidents that would not be possible when monitoring systems separately, significantly enhancing situational awareness. 

Monitors movement effectively  

From ensuring only specified staff can access medication stores or enter surgical settings to securing ICUs and neonatal units, being able to monitor and control movement around a hospital estate is a significant priority. 

Integrating access control systems, RFID badges, and staff databases within Synergy will immediately alert control room teams to abnormal activity such as tailgating, restricted area doors left open, ‘off duty’ access cards swiped, or forced access.

A growing application in healthcare, especially for specialist long-term care units, is combining surveillance with access control and patient ID devices to create virtual zones that detect patient movement. This solution helps safeguard vulnerable patients, such as those who may easily get lost or disoriented. 

Detects incidents quickly

Sadly, theft and assault are commonly reported crimes on NHS premises. Over 72,000 assaults on NHS staff were committed between 2018 and 2021, so detecting and responding to incidents quickly is vital. 

Control room teams can immediately detect the details that matter by integrating video analytics, whether server- or edge-based (camera). For instance, a person is loitering near a secure area. A number plate on a police watch list. A sudden increase in the people within a specific area could indicate an altercation.

Analytics also aid investigative efforts, for instance, saving crucial time when reviewing footage to find a person of interest (based on clothing type/colour, height, etc.), whether that’s the perpetrator of a crime, a lost child or a patient. 

Guides Standard Operating Procedures

Alerts in Synergy can also be set up to trigger workflows that reflect the hospital's Standard Operating Procedures, guiding operators on the ‘best next action’ for handling the ongoing situation.

Supports compliance and collaboration

Hospitals must comply with strict regulations, report on incidents, handle litigation claims, and respond to Freedom of Information requests. 

With Synergy, all operator activity, footage, and incident details are digitised and securely logged, ensuring an indisputable record of events is maintained. This data repository also mitigates any risk of paper-based logs going missing or being incomplete, and managers can easily and quickly generate information dashboards and reports to inform security decisions, respond to requests, and demonstrate procedural compliance. 

Improves collaboration

Another valuable tool for information sharing is the cloud evidence locker. Incident footage is stored securely in the cloud and can be shared with third-party agencies (police) or organisations (insurers) in real time. This empowers hospitals to respond rapidly in investigations where time is of the essence, for instance, assault claims or when patients who may have been the victim of or involved with criminal activity are admitted. 

Keeps data and systems safe

Unfortunately, healthcare settings are increasingly common targets for cyberattacks. Indeed, risk consultancy Kroll identified a 90% increase in healthcare organisations targeted from Q1 to Q2 of 2022, with common incident types including ransomware, unauthorised access and email compromise. Therefore, IP surveillance and security systems must not present a 'weak link in the cyber security chain.'

Synergy takes care of that. It ensures that data is only sent between authenticated devices (cameras, sensors, servers, and workstations) and that information is always encrypted. It also proactively displays recommendations to improve cyber security, detecting potential problem areas, e.g. password management and workstation lockdowns.

It also allows surveillance managers to control what users with different levels of permissions can view and share. Restricting access to sensitive data helps protect against data loss and breaches and supports GDPR compliance.