New York-Presbyterian Hospital - Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City has integrated an advanced security solution to enhance safety while maintaining hospital functionality.
As part of the New York-Presbyterian Hospital system, Weill Cornell is dedicated to providing exemplary inpatient, outpatient, and preventive care, and maintaining a secure environment is essential to its mission. With facilities open 24/7, the challenge is to implement a durable and efficient security system that aligns with the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety standards.
Security Solutions Implemented
The hospital has adopted Morse Watchmans' KeyWatcher® Key Control System, offering a tailored solution for managing key access. This system records detailed key access history, only disbursing keys to individuals with proper authorization, thus complying with industry standards. Constructed from durable materials, the KeyWatcher requires minimal wall space and replaces outdated manual logs with a secure, alarm-protected system.
Complementing the KeyWatcher system is the KeyPro® Performance Software, a user-friendly application that provides real-time transaction data, status updates, and comprehensive reporting. Security personnel can utilize the system to track key usage by specific parameters, including biometric data, enabling precise monitoring and control.
Enhanced Guard Tours
Regular evaluations ensure that systems remain compliant with JCAHO standards
The PowerCheck® Guard Tour System adds another layer of security, providing multiple tour capabilities and reporting functions. This handheld device allows security officers to document incidents via a built-in keypad, eliminating paperwork through downloadable preset codes. The associated Tour-Pro® Software facilitates data sorting, making it easy to convert collected information into custom reports for improved oversight.
For over a decade, Weill Cornell's security management has relied on Morse Watchmans solutions for their reliability and effectiveness. Regular evaluations ensure that systems remain compliant with JCAHO standards. Recent upgrades have improved performance, and network integration allows for seamless system changes, minimizing risks such as unauthorized access by former employees.
Measurable Improvements
The implementation of these advanced security measures has not compromised convenience. Instead, it has streamlined operations for security staff and enhanced safety for patients and visitors. The adaptable capabilities of the KeyWatcher network feature have allowed for quick modifications, while PowerCheck ensures continuous security presence and efficient reporting, boosting confidence in facility safety.
Ultimately, these technological advances allow Weill Cornell Medical Center to maintain a secure environment without diminishing the quality of care or convenience for all involved.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital – Weill Cornell Medical Center, located in New York City, is one of the academic medical centers in the world, comprising the teaching facility New York- Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College, the medical school of Cornell University.
New York-Presbyterian – Weill Cornell provides state of the art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine, and is committed to excellence in patient care, education, research and community service. It is one of five main facilities of the New York- Presbyterian Hospital system in New York City.
Technology Objective - Implement a key control and guard tour system that will hold up to the constant wear and tear of daily use and be both durable and rugged. The system also needs to offer easy auditing and reporting functions while meeting the guidelines for key control established by the International Association for Healthcare Security & Safety (IAHSS) standards.
Having uniformed guards
The Challenge - Hospitals are public facilities which are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 52 weeks a year. The security solutions must effectively protect patients, staff, visitors and facilities without interfering with hospital operations.
They should also be convenient and simple to assure compliance. One of the most effective ways to address this, and minimize risk to the hospital, is to control access into defined security sensitive areas throughout the facility with a key control system. Due to the public nature of the facilities, anyone can enter and move about the premises unchallenged, security is enhanced by having uniformed guards visible patrolling the facility.
Proper authorization code
Morse Watchmans Solution - KeyWatcher® Key Control System – The KeyWatcher is a custom-tailored solution designed to record the access history of each key, including user, date and time of checkout/return.
By releasing assigned keys only to users with the proper authorization code, the KeyWatcher system helps to ensure adherence to the hospital industry standardized policies and procedures. Using minimal wall space, the key storage cabinet eliminates outdated lock boxes, unreliable manual logs and messy key identification tags. Constructed of rugged stainless steel, the illuminated key storage system is designed to resist abuse and is alarmprotected against tampering.
Biometric access data
KeyPro® Performance Software – The userfriendly PC application software delivers real-time polling transactions, status, alarm and reporting capabilities for the KeyWatcher system. Activity reports can be customized to trace key movements by time, date and user code or biometric access data.
PowerCheck® Guard Tour System – With its multiple tour capabilities, integrated functions and reporting options, the PowerCheck Guard Tour System delivers a convenient and cost effective solution to security management at the hospital. The rugged hand-held data recorder allows security personnel to input incident codes while on tour using the built-in keypad and display. Paperwork is eliminated with 99 pre-set incident codes which can be downloaded to the computer at the end of the guard tour.
Tour-Pro® Software – The Tour-Pro Data Sorting Software is a Windows® application which converts the tour information into printable reports which may be customized by time, day, week and month. For added value and convenience, this same software can additionally be used to program the data recorder and manage the files.
Improved performance features
In Action - Security management at the hospital has been using Morse Watchmans solutions for over 10 years because of the products’ outstanding performance, reliability and sustainability. In compliance with the JCAHO standards, the hospital’s Morse Watchmans key control system is evaluated every three years and, as needed, upgraded to include improved performance features as well as initiating system implementation on the network. The Morse Watchmans Guard Tour System has also been included in these evaluations and upgrades implemented, including new reporting software.
The Results - Security has been increased without negatively impacting convenience for patients, staff and visitors. In some cases, convenience for the security staff has been substantially increased. For example, the network capability of the KeyWatcher Key Control system allows management to easily program and implement changes over the LAN. In addition to the time and effort saved, these immediately effective changes can help prevent incidents wherein terminated employees no longer have access to keys.
Immediately effective changes
In addition, PowerCheck is a tool that officers can use to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively, while helping to visibly reassure hospital staff, patients and visitors that the premises are secure.
Stations are set up around the facility, and as the officer walks by with the handheld device, the system reads and records the time. The device can be programmed to prompt either sequential or random tours for the officers, so their movements can’t be predicted, and the officer can enter a standardized code at any station to report incidents instantly.
