Health is the most valuable possession. Still, even health care professionals working in hospitals have to deal with issues such as theft, disputes over possible malpractice or even the kidnapping of infants. CCTV / IP video surveillance systems by Votel are being used in order to prevent against recurrences of these crimes or at least enable a swift and cost-effective solution.
Surveillance systems are already used in perimeter protection: High-resolution surveillance cameras keep an eye on every corner and ensure that no unauthorized person enters the compound. Additionally, if a number plate recognition system is connected to the CCTV system, the operation of barriers or traffic lights (i.e. in parking blocks or carriage gateways) can be controlled automatically.
Unfortunately, not all supposed 'visitors' come to the hospital to wish their loved ones a speedy recovery. The openly accessible and mostly unlocked rooms make it easy for potential thieves to steal clinic and/or patient property, which often causes significant financial losses for the hospital. In most cases detailed images from high-quality surveillance cameras in hallways, at emergency exits, near elevators or in the pay office, lead to a positive identification of the perpetrator.
Repeatedly, cases of children being kidnapped from newborn nurseries hit the headlines. In order to ensure that not only the newborn infants may doze peacefully but also their parents may sleep in peace, many hospitals employ video surveillance systems. Hence, nobody enters the baby ward unnoticed. The systems' flexibility allow for the monitoring system to be connected to an access control system so that no unauthorized person gains access to the premises.
Especially in intensive care units, patients are mostly unable to communicate a deterioration of their condition to medical staff. Video surveillance enables staff to monitor patients 24/7 – for in an emergency it is the quick reaction of the treating physicians which determines a patient's chances to survive. In an aesthetic recovery rooms the patients' conditions are also simply monitored from the nurses' room.