San Pier Damiano Hospital [SPDH] in Faenza, part of the GVM group, is a centre of excellence in Italy, committed to ensuring comfort in every aspect of its work to everyone who visits the facility.
“Whether a patient is being admitted for the first time, or is already familiar with the hospital, it is our job to make sure his/her stay is as comfortable and worry free as possible. This is only possible if the hospital has adequate security measures in place which are able to prevent theft and guarantee detailed escape plans for emergency situations”.
This is how Maria Cecilia Sansavini, CEO of San Pier Damiano Hospital, explains a basic aspect of hospital life - “Security is everything: it is a combination of factors we are aware of and others that we aren't, ensuring healthcare workers, administrative staff and patients alike feel they are in a safe and secure environment”.
THE BRIEF
Total, perceptible and omnipresent security: patients have to feel they are at home, protected and worry free. This is the key objective that emerged from a meticulous survey carried out by CISA: an invaluable analysis which identified the priorities and solutions and established a rewarding partnership with San Pier Damiano Hospital.
ON-DEMAND SOLUTION
Specific needs require custom-made solutions: CISA put together a personalised package of solutions, combining mechanic devices with the most sophisticated electronic solutions: a balance between security (preventing unlawful entry through any door) and safety (systems designed to allow people to exit safely in dangerous or emergency situations, like panic exit devices which require CE certification).
The CISA solution for San Pier Damiano Hospital
A WINNING COMBINATION
The solution adopted by SPDH consists of a combination of mechanic devices and electronic features, coordinated by a computerised control system. At the heart of the system is an electronic card: members of staff use their own personal ID card (with their name, surname and photo on it) to clock in while, then they scan their card on a wall-mounted reader next to the time clock, activating the card, logging the access in the control system’s audit trail and, most important of all, checking access rights.
REMOTE BENEFITS
This solution allows the system manager to intervene remotely to alter access credentials. He can deny entry to certain users for pre-specified periods of time or grant other users access without having to physically handle the card. And if a card is lost, all the staff member has to do is notify the system manager and it will be deactivated.
UNPARALLELED ELECTRONICS
The solution uses mainly CISA eSIGNO electronic locks, ideal for retrofitting existing systems because they:
· require no hard wiring
· are installed directly on wooden, aluminium oe REI doors (covering any previous holes)
· are battery powered and not do change the certification status of the doors.
Electronic locks provide additional protection and safety when evacuating a room: doors fitted with a mechanical lock can be locked from the outside, leaving the occupants inside with no way of escaping, whereas with an electronic lock simply pushing down on the handle on the inside of the door opens it (while a card or mechanical key is needed to unlock it from the outside).
The dedicated electronic security system at San Pier Damiano was also custom integrated with mechanical solutions, like cylinders designed with the master key system, to organise and manage access according to a pre-established hierarchy: one key unlocks several different doors, while some entrances can only be opened with different keys. The end result is optimised, rational key management with maximum safety and protection guaranteed at all times.
A TANGIBLE RESULT
The solutions adopted were backed up with special training sessions which provided the hospital staff with invaluable security know-how. Tangible security which everyone is aware of at all times: staff, patients and visitors. Every time a door is opened, a world of security opens that is immediately evident.
