Baton Rouge General, a not-for-profit healthcare institution in Louisiana, has undertaken significant initiatives to bolster its security infrastructure. Employing over 4,600 staff and serving numerous patients and visitors around the clock, the health system has recognized the critical need for a comprehensive and sophisticated security strategy.
Supported by its administrative leadership, Baton Rouge General has incorporated advanced technology, notably Salient's CompleteView Video Management System (VMS) and drone surveillance, to strengthen its security measures.
Upgrading Legacy Security Systems
The healthcare system faced challenges in maintaining security across vast areas, including wooded regions around some campuses, which required continuous surveillance. Traditional security systems fell short due to limitations such as low-light conditions and blind spots.
The administration empowered the security department to seek innovative solutions, culminating in the selection of Salient as their video technology partner—an endeavor driven by Peter Ochinko, Director of Security, and Peyton Grant, Vice President of Facilities.
Implementing Advanced Surveillance
Traditional security systems fell short due to limitations such as low-light conditions and blind spots
Baton Rouge General's comprehensive security approach integrates Salient's CompleteView VMS with an aerial drone surveillance program.
The executive team has backed this initiative, deploying drones equipped with night vision and thermal imaging to enhance existing security measures. According to Ochinko, the human element and consistent support from Salient during and after installation were crucial factors in their decision.
Coordination and Real-time Monitoring
The integration of Salient's VMS allows for real-time monitoring through both stationary cameras and drones, ensuring effective coordination between aerial and ground patrols, which include sixty-one officers and trained bike patrol members. The system's visibility has proven a successful deterrent to security incidents, as evidenced by a decrease in occurrence rates.
Advantages of an Open Platform
One of the major advantages offered by CompleteView is the ability to swiftly search for video evidence when needed. Tasks that were once time-consuming, such as locating specific incidents from video footage, now take mere minutes. The open platform nature of Salient's solution enables seamless integration with existing systems, improving situational awareness and operational efficiency.
Enhancing Security Without Compromising Access
For instance, CompleteView has allowed the hospital to better monitor entry points, particularly during lockdown conditions. Any access to a door triggers immediate video feed to dispatchers, enabling prompt response to potential security breaches. Baton Rouge General's leadership has been vital in facilitating the adoption of these technologies, ensuring their security teams have the needed resources and training.
Continual Improvement and Future Outlook
Ochinko highlighted the administration's role in driving the hospital's security success, emphasizing the commitment to advancing security measures and maintaining staff and patient confidence. "We are in a good place security-wise, but we are always looking for ways to improve," said Ochinko. He noted that the adaptable nature of Salient's CompleteView will support future improvements in leveraging technology and analytics to anticipate and manage emerging security challenges.
Baton Rouge General, a not-for-profit healthcare system in Louisiana, takes pride in providing outstanding service in a compassionate and caring environment to the communities that they serve. They are driven by excellence, service, integrity, respect, and professionalism. These core values extend from healthcare professionals and staff to patients, visitors, and anyone else who enters their campuses and facilities.
With over 4600 employees and thousands of patients and visitors to safeguard 24/7, the healthcare system recognized the importance of a robust and layered approach to security. Supported by strong administrative leadership, Baton Rouge General sought to enhance their security posture through the integration of cutting-edge technology, including Salient’s Video Management System (VMS), CompleteView, in conjunction with advanced aerial drone surveillance as well as other security measures.
Legacy security system
With large areas to cover, including wooded areas around the perimeter of some of their campuses, and the need for constant monitoring, an upgrade to their legacy security system was necessary. Low-light conditions, blind spots, and the difficulty of monitoring remote areas were a challenge to achieve the level of safety the healthcare system aimed for.
Administrative leaders recognized the need for innovative solutions and gave their full support to their security team to find the right partner to provide a video management system that would enhance security and optimize resource use.
Under the guidance of the Director of Security, Peter Ochinko and Vice President of Facilities, Peyton Grant, Baton Rouge General took a proactive approach to a security upgrade. Team members from the Security Department as well as team members from Facilities and IT vetted several video management solutions. In the end, they unanimously selected Salient as their video partner.
Existing security measures
On the reasoning behind their choice, Ochinko said, “Salient’s CompleteView VMS could do everything we needed it to. When it came right down to it, it was the people. Everyone tends to be on their best behavior before the sale, but Salient proved over and over that they would be at our side during and after the install and they have been.”
Once Salient’s CompleteView was selected, it was integrated into Baton Rouge General’s layered security defense strategy. This was achieved through integration of Salient’s VMS with an aerial drone surveillance program. This initiative, fully supported by the executive team, allowed for the deployment of drones, very recently equipped with night vision and thermal imaging, to complement existing security measures. Trained bike patrol members along with sixty-one officers can easily access video in real time to address any event.
Ensuring seamless coordination
Salient’s VMS platform provided real-time monitoring of both fixed cameras and drones, ensuring seamless coordination between the aerial surveillance and ground patrols. The hospital’s leadership was instrumental in not only approving the technology but also ensuring that the security team had the resources and training needed to maximize its potential.
Baton Rouge General has taken the posture of making their security visible, both inside and outside of the facilities. They use all tools available to deter security incidents which have become less frequent as a result, a testament to the improved coverage the system provides.
Open platform solution
An additional benefit that CompleteView has afforded Baton Rouge General is the ability to quickly search through and find video evidence of an incident when it occurs. In the past when department leaders requested video from a particular camera to review an incident, the video search task was daunting and time consuming. Now with Salient’s CompleteView, a similar search takes minutes. When it is necessary to review video from a particular time block and area, the officers can access and view the correct video on CompleteView almost immediately.
Because Salient is an open platform solution, meaning it can easily be integrated with other technologies, Baton Rouge General was able to retain their existing access control system but leverage CompleteView to gain immediate insights.
Creating safer environment
For example, when the hospital is locked down in the evening it creates a single point of entry. Prior to using CompleteView, there was no ability to discern whether the door may have been propped open or someone was exiting or entering. Now every time the door is accessed, the camera comes up immediately to the dispatcher who can monitor the activity and react accordingly.
The leadership at Baton Rouge General Health System has played a pivotal role in driving the success of their security program. By embracing advanced technology and supporting the security team’s efforts at every stage, they have created a safer environment for everyone on their campuses. Salient’s VMS, CompleteView, combined with drone surveillance, bicycle patrols, and security officers has allowed the hospital to meet modern security challenges head-on.
Further leverage technology
“The administration’s commitment to security has been instrumental in the success of our initiatives,” said Ochinko.
“By investing in innovative technologies and giving our security teams the resources they need, we’ve not only strengthened our security measures but also built confidence across our staff and patients. We are in a good place security-wise, but we are always looking for ways to improve. In security, our work is never done. With CompleteView, we will be able to evolve our security strategy to further leverage technology and analytics as they become available to anticipate and address risks.”
