Under lock & key

Many of the headlines related to hospitals are centered on the personnel, and deservedly so. Doctors, nurses and staff are saving lives every day, and the facilities where they work are invaluable resources within their communities. Behind the scenes, though, is critical asset management technology that empowers personnel to do their jobs; although rarely discussed, it is an important component of daily operations and presents an efficient and effective experience for patients.

Knowing where and when

At the heart of assets within a hospital setting are the badges and keys that give staff access to a variety of departments and resources that need to be closely monitored. Management needs to have a comprehensive view of all key and badge usage so they can keep a real-time record of who has entered which area and when.

The most modern facilities are using intelligent key cabinets to do so. All keys and badges for a designated area are stored securely in a cabinet, and only authorized users can access it. If a key or badge isn’t returned by a certain time, a manager is notified and can quickly track down who had that asset last, rather than spending time identifying who did.

Beyond just the physical access control that cabinets offer for physical keys and badges, they can also be leveraged for fleet management.

For most hospitals, multiple cabinets are placed strategically throughout a building or campus to isolate the keys or badges that are only needed for that area. This reduces the likelihood of a key or badge ending up in an area where it shouldn’t be. The cabinets are integrated into the hospital’s main access control platform, which allows for seamless integration without requiring multiple logins and credentials for both managers and staff.