TIP Blog

Long-term care facilities exist to properly care for those who cannot care for themselves. Often taking the form of assisted living or nursing homes, long-term care facilities face security challenges that differ from other healthcare related industries.

Security systems and procedures aim to protect both residents and caregivers. Below, we’ve outlined the three biggest security considerations for long-term care facilities.

1. Unobtrusive Visitor Management

A home-like atmosphere is a top selling point for many assisted living facilities. That said, the facility's security technology and processes need to be both effective and covert and should leverage an integrated visitor management system to easily capture visitor information and whereabouts.

Best systems have the capability to do the following:

• Capture a visitor's image and creates “one-day-pass” credentials.
• Keep a running log of the date and time visitors arrived and exited the facility.
• Log deliveries.
• Provide visitor analytics to give better insight on the comings and goings of persons in the facility.
• A visitor management system is paired well with video surveillance. Together, you obtain a full view of the happenings within the facility.

Pro Tip: Keep cameras tucked away and out of sight. This will help keep the facility home-like while providing the level of security needed.

2. Providing Resident Independence

Many residents in long-term care covet their independence. In an attempt to realize this need, good long-term care facilities help residents keep their independence by providing personal emergency response systems.

These systems remain on the facility resident at all times. If the resident falls, hurts themselves or needs assistance of any kind, they can simply hit the button and expect help to be on the way. Having a nurse call system allows residents to enjoy the solitude of their room without being escorted by an employee.

3. Partner With A Vendor Familiar With HIPAA

When looking to install or upgrade your facility’s security system, it is important to partner with the right vendor. If your vendor is unfamiliar with HIPAA, you run the risk of violating the law and facing pricey fines.

When in doubt, choose a vendor who’s familiar with healthcare security who can appropriately guide you through the planning, installation and monitoring process. Best vendors take time to understand how you operate your business and find the best way to merge that with best practices and healthcare regulatory issues.