Starting in 2020, COVID-19 put hospitals around the world to the test. This unprecedented challenge exposed inefficiencies, antiquated systems, and ineffective practices. However, hospitals adapting to the speed, capacity, and urgency of care will ultimately perform better and save more lives.
From a dwindling number of ICU beds to staffing shortages to a growing number of infected personnel, hospitals had to treat a skyrocketing number of patients while facing constraints that pushed staff and facilities to capacity. Today, hospitals are looking for solutions to help them be more flexible without compromising care or breaking their budgets. Many healthcare professionals are relying on the Milestone Systems’ XProtect® open platform video management software (VMS) to provide solutions that help staff meet the needs of these unprecedented times.
XProtect video technology can help hospitals, whether it’s solving problems in the parking garage or monitoring patients in their hospital beds. Most people expect video to protect against criminal activity in the dark corners of a facility, but it can also impact places like the ICU. When ICUs are at capacity, XProtect is more than an extra set of eyes. It can be a resource to monitor multiple patients more efficiently and cost-effectively — especially during staff shortages. In addition to going room to room to check on patients, staff can monitor patients simultaneously via video monitoring stations.
Sound detection uses advanced analytics to identify various sounds. Whether it's breaking glass, arguments, or specific key phrases, such as "help" or "Call 911," the software triggers notifications that alert staff of trouble. Slip and fall detection uses advanced analytics to determine if a patient has fallen, under duress, or merely resting. Functionality like this can provide staff with critical information in an instant.
With real-time alerts, XProtect can alert staff when a patient needs assistance, helping hospital workers use their time more efficiently and reduce staff-to-patient contact. Proactive monitoring with video technology can help limit staff exposure to highly contagious illnesses, like COVID-19. Keeping staff out of harm's way also helps reduce the risk of staff infection. Reducing the amount of disposable personal protective equipment, such as masks and protective clothing, needing disposal can save unnecessary operational expenses. Not only does this help reduce supply costs and improve a hospital's bottom line, but it also makes rationing these essential items easier when supply chains are stretched to their limits, as we've seen during the current pandemic.
As a result, hospitals can improve patient care and facility cleanliness by quickly turning over rooms.
A hospital working at maximum capacity puts staff and facilities to the test day after day. It's also a numbers game. As more people move through the hospital, the number of potential incidents increases — from accidents to criminal activity. As a busy staff focuses on their jobs, a system like Milestone XProtect provides additional surveillance, capturing and storing critical evidence. These features are valuable when investigating situations, such as:
- Workplace accidents
- Unruly patient incidents
- Loss prevention (prescription drugs and equipment)
- Criminal activity from visitors or staff
- Compliance violations
Hospitals can more efficiently mitigate and manage these events by gathering evidence, dramatically reducing the costs and time associated with an investigation.
When a hospital can keep healthcare heroes out of harm’s way, it stands a better chance to help the community it serves to get through the crisis and return to normal. In addition, hospitals will be ready for the next pandemic or natural disaster by implementing a robust software platform, like XProtect, to help solve security and operational problems. With all the benefits that Milestone XProtect can offer without needing to upgrade hardware and infrastructure, this open platform VMS can keep people safe, secure assets, and remain efficient while keeping costs down.
Discover more about XProtect healthcare solutions by talking with our experts. Request a demo with one of our team members and we can offer solutions for your hospital or clinic, no matter the size of your organization.
