Most soon-to-be parents face a host of common fears as they prepare to welcome their children into their families. These common fears tend to involve baby proofing, feeding and soothing, among others. But perhaps the biggest fear faced by parents is the possibility of their newborn being taken from the maternity unit without their knowledge. The good news is that hospitals and maternity units have tightened up security over the years and the likelihood of such occurrences are rare.
Many hospitals worldwide have adopted a multi-layered approach to prevent infant abductions. They conduct frequent security training and utilize sophisticated technology such as silent panic buttons and video surveillance. However, preventing infant abductions and securing maternity wings do not come without its challenges. Hospitals must seek affordable methods to increase safety, decrease liability, and maintain a high level of patient comfort and safety in the maternity unit.
A Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) bracelet is a common prevention method used by hospitals to provide early alerts to a possible abduction. While these bracelets have been proven to be highly effective in some aspects, they do have their drawbacks, among which is the lack of detailed descriptions of the abductor or any other circumstantial clues related to an incident. Often, infants can be removed from the maternity wing purely by accident; well-meaning family members may take the baby to the cafeteria or to visit other family members in the waiting room or lobby. Whether intentional or not, it is critical that hospitals and parents know the location of their newest family member.
An Eye-Level Approach
Traditionally, ceiling-mounted 360-degree fisheye cameras have provided hospital security teams with an “eye-in-the-sky” approach for monitoring patients, employees and visitors. These cameras usually offer less detail of faces and objects from their field of view. They also tend to only capture the tops of subjects’ heads, which presents serious security gaps.
Instead, hospitals and their security personnel teams can utilize wall-mounted fisheye cameras like Pelco’s Evolution 180, which features a high-definition panoramic view providing an innovative solution for comprehensive video surveillance and monitoring. This “fly-on-the-wall” camera provides hospitals, families, and when necessary, law enforcement, with a clearer eye-level view of faces enabling more accurate identification. A wall-mounted camera is also a stronger visual deterrent that can prevent individuals from engaging in criminal activity. This can boost confidence in patients knowing that their newborns are safe and secure.
Robust Outdoor Coverage
For maximum security, the ruggedized outdoor model of the Evolution 180 enables eye-level views of building entrances and exits. The outdoor system can also be applied in parking garages, giving hospitals and law enforcement, a more extensive view of a wide area and the ability to identify vehicles, which can be a key element in solving a child abduction case. The first few hours of an abduction case are critical, so it is especially important that law enforcement have access to suspect descriptions and other identifying characteristics that could increase the chances of successfully reuniting families.
Out-of-the-Box Capabilities
Beyond the total situational awareness this camera provides, it is also quick and easy to install and compatible with most modern VMS platforms. Furthermore, it can be added to existing video surveillance systems at no additional cost. Additional savings can be seen in storage costs from using the Evolution 180, which filters out extraneous coverage to focus only on areas of interest. The Evolution 180 also has in-camera de-warping that requires fewer VMS resources so operators can access more cameras simultaneously. This innovative surveillance solution not only reassures patients that their new family member is safe; it also enables hospital surveillance personnel to keep it that way.
Care Comes First
Pelco prides itself on supporting hospital administrators, IT professionals, and security teams as they decide on the right tools to meet their Environment of Care standards. Contact us to learn more about the healthcare industry’s most complete selection of video security solutions.
About the Author:
Christie Chaney serves as the Segment Solutions Marketing Manager at Pelco. Christie has over 25 years of experience and has a proven track record in leading multi-disciplinary teams in companies ranging in size from Fortune 500 to start-up companies. She has held a variety of roles within Pelco including her role Segment Solutions team, that involved initiating new business processes and managing organizational change. She combines in-depth knowledge of diverse vertical markets with the ability to unite sales with marketing and align activities with business objectives.
