Planning aid for electronic locking systems in medical-social facilities

Our healthcare sector is currently facing many challenges: The ageing population, the financial consequences of this and the digitalisation of the healthcare market, in general, are just a few. Hospitals, in particular, are therefore under enormous pressure to optimise all available resources, while at the same time ensuring a highly efficient infrastructure. A balancing act for every safety manager in the healthcare sector, whose top priority is protecting patients, staff and the property.

Multifunctional security concepts to prevent theft and fire hazards

Burglary and theft are a major security issue in the German healthcare industry. Both are still a main focus in German hospitals. The loss of expensive medical technology due to theft can quickly reach the six-digit range, but is played down or suppressed in many places. This also applies to ongoing topic number two: Fire hazards. Well-equipped establishments impress with their intensive prevention work and proactive risk management. The security concept is multifunctional, especially in the field of locking system solutions. These should be flexible in use, easily expandable and simple to operate. In any case, they must be able to pass a regular suitability review.

Specialist providers of innovative locking solutions

The number of providers and systems has also grown significantly in recent years due to the increasing demand for modern locking systems with the most user-friendly locking system management possible. The German market focuses on five noteworthy companies that hold more than three quarters of the sought-after market shares. The question remains as to which provider and which systems are best suited to the individual requirements of operators of medical-social facilities. Cost pressure is enormous, bundling tasks across ever fewer resources does not make it any easier. For that reason, there is a great need for security staff to have objective and well-founded decision-making tools for selecting the right locking system and provider.

Mechanical, electronic or mechatronic? Networked is the most important thing!

It is not possible to give a general answer to which locking system is best suited to a modern security concept in hospitals. However, mechatronic and electronic locking systems can now be used much more flexibly than purely mechanical systems. This applies not only to its wide range of applications, but also to its contemporary operability and user-friendly management. This development is reinforced by the ongoing digitalisation and networking of the entire healthcare market. While, for example, there were still major reservations about the introduction of the electronic health card by the health insurance companies a few years ago, there is now a broad social acceptance for digital health applications and platforms. Whether digital treatment support, monitoring, prevention or new screening diagnostic tools – patients are becoming smart and are also shaping the rapid development towards so-called smart hospitals.

Decision-making aid for the right locking system solution

On the road to a smart hospital, the requirements for patient safety, user-friendliness, building security and access security must be considered and networked with equal consideration. A mammoth task for any technical manager – after all, the area of locking systems in a hospital alone includes fire alarm systems, escape route security, emergency call systems, smoke and fire protection as well as individual access control for public and sensitive hospital areas. Checklists and information for a comprehensive and systematic requirement analysis to optimise existing security solutions provide a good overview and enable forward-looking resource and cost-saving planning.

We have outlined the advantages and functions of the eCLIQ electronic master key system here as an example: download CLIQ brochure