SCP Blog Archives | Secure Care Products

Here to Support You

The past several weeks have been challenging for everyone. There have been major changes in all aspects of life and business. From not being able to access facilities the way we normally would, to postponing training and meetings, and in many cases, moving from the office to home.

As much of our team has transitioned to home offices, we’ve been learning and using new tools. We keep in touch with each other. We’re keeping things moving forward.

We also noticed that our coffee makers, Keurig machines and french presses seem to be working overtime. For a little fun, we thought we’d share our favorite coffee mugs for working at home.

In all seriousness, we are still engineering, selling and manufacturing to support customer needs. To date, we have successfully minimized production disruptions and managed to avoid significant material shortages. Most importantly, our entire team is dedicated to supporting our customers during these unprecedented times.

COVID-19 Response

As a company that supports thousands of health care facilities around the world, Secure Care Products is absolutely an essential business. We are focused on working hard to support our customers however we can.

We have provided updates regarding our response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our local partners are open for business too and ready to support facilities needing service. All of our partners are out in their communities supporting customer needs every day! If you need service assistance, contact your local certified partner.

Offering New Solutions

We are proud to have successfully shipped our first Evolution Series solution in all this chaos. Though not an ideal time for releasing a new product, Evolution Series is available! Our team is excited to tell you more about it. We believe the new Evolution Series for wander management and infant security is truly innovative. Our goal with Evolution Series is to focus on software-based functionality. This means fewer changes to hardware. Less need for costly in-person visits or total hardware swap-outs for additions or upgrades to features. Installing Evolution today is a way to future-proof your patient and resident security solution for the future of your facility.

We wish all of our customers the very best during these trying times. If there’s anything we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Partner Spotlight

No business is around for 40 years without having built solid partnerships, and Secure Care Products is no exception. We recognize that in addition to our employees, our network of certified distribution partners is key to our success over the last 40 years.

Our distribution partners are our “feet on the street” and offer their customers a wide range of solutions, provide top-notch service, and have been invaluable to our business since its inception. So in honor of our 40th year, we wanted to recognize some of our partners and showcase what they have to offer. Throughout 2019, we’ll feature some of Secure Care Products distribution partners. So check back often to learn more about the partners that have helped make Secure Care Products a success over the last four decades!

If you’re in need of service for your system, or are interested in learning more about our solutions for your facility, you can Find Your Local Distributor here!

Secure Care Products Joins Michigan Manufacturers Association

Secure Care Products is proud to have recently joined the Michigan Manufacturers Association. With a local regional sales representative stationed in the greater Detroit, MI area, and our ENVisionIT real-time location solution (RTLS), this membership was a natural fit for us.

In addition to proudly designing and manufacturing our solutions in the US for the past 40 years, we believe the location data provided by our RTLS solution could prove invaluable to our our fellow MMA members. You cannot improve what is not being measured. RTLS enables you to:

Locate personnel, mobile equipment, and inventory
See how work orders are moving through your production processes in real time
Provide an added employee safety measure for those working in potentially hazardous or isolated areas on the production floor

Employee Spotlight

2019 is a big year for Secure Care Products…..we’ve been in business for 40 years! As we reflect on this milestone, we wanted to highlight the main reason we’ve been able to achieve and maintain this success for so long – our employees! Throughout the year, we’ll be updating this blog post to feature one of Secure Care Products employees. So check back often to learn more about the people that make Secure Care Products what it is!

Secure Care Products wandering resident RTLS software

Elpas to EOL Its RTLS Products

Last month, Elpas announced its plans to end of life (EOL) its real time location systems (RTLS) products. A letter on the Elpas website indicates that the decision to end of life these products was based on the overall health of the business, the amount of investment and innovation required to continue offering a competitive solution and other factors.

While we are sure this decision was not made without extensive consideration, it must put current Elpas customers in a very challenging position. The letter indicates that there are currently no transition or migration plans at this time. And since Elpas has been in business for decades, there is likely an extensive customer base left wondering: what happens once the company stops providing support for these products after June 20, 2019?

Secure Care Products has been in business for nearly 40 years. In that time, we were the first in the market to provide a wandering resident solution that enabled residents to move freely and securely about their living spaces. Decades later we were the first to provide individual protection for infants in the hospital with our KinderGUARD^® solution featuring cutband technology. And in recent years we have developed our own RTLS solution based on ultra-wideband technology for superior locating accuracy.

So if you are an existing Elpas customer concerned about the future of your installed systems, we would love to speak with you about the possibility of switching to a Secure Care Products solution. We have an extensive network of distribution partners around the globe eager to help design the solution your facility needs. Whether it’s a basic door management solution, or if you’re looking for fully integrated real-time location capability, we’re confident we have a solution to fit your needs. Contact us today to set up a call to discuss a customized solution, or visit our website to learn more.

Secure Care Products is happy to help you work through this transition. We can provide customized solutions to maintain your facility’s safety, security and efficiency now, and long into the future.

How Does Your Hospital Rate?

The Leapfrog Group of Washington, D.C. has released its Spring 2018 Hospital Safety Grades. So, how do the hospitals in your state rank? And what’s more…how can hospitals improve their rankings on lists like these?

Nearly a third of the 2,500 general acute care hospitals surveyed earned an “A.” Where many of this year’s “A” recipients have previously had “D” or “F” ratings on prior lists, the results indicate a positive trend toward improvements. According to the the Leapfrog Group, theirs is the only list focused entirely on errors, accidents, injuries and infections. Collectively, these issues represent the third leading cause of death in the United States.

Measuring Healthcare Providers

Of course there are many such lists and rankings available for variety of healthcare providers. Most working in the healthcare industry are familiar with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings. The CMS website allows you to quickly and easily compare overall hospital quality star rating for hospitals near your zip code. And Becker’s Hospital Review publishes an annual list of “100 great hospitals in America.” All of these lists take into account a wide variety of criteria and statistics. Some factors may be reported directly by the hospitals themselves via survey responses. Other are gleaned indirectly via regulatory reporting requirements.

Improve Hospital Ranking with Increased Safety and Better Efficiency

At the end of the day, anything that hospitals can do to reduce errors, improve efficiency, and increase patient satisfaction can only help improve their ranking. Improvements are achieved via many different methods. Hospitals may start the process by focusing on a specific department or unit. Using technology or systems to help manage things is one way to target improvements. For example, installation of a real-time location (RTLS) solution in the emergency department can help staff better manage workflow. RTLS could also significantly reduce or eliminate time wasted searching for critical equipment. The addition of an infant protection system in the labor and delivery unit ensures each and every baby is safe and secure anywhere within the unit. Still other hospitals may choose to enact policy or procedural changes to drive increased safety across the entire hospital system.

No matter how they approach it, hospitals must understand the importance and impact of these rankings. They must also be continuously working to improve their scores. As patients become increasingly involved in their own healthcare decisions, they will seek out the best value care. Improving rankings could increase a hospital’s ability to attract patients and earn referrals.

So….what is your facility doing to help improve its ratings on these various lists and surveys of providers? Contact Secure Care Products today and let us demonstrate how our solutions can help drive improved safety and efficiency at your hospital.

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New Panic Button Laws Cropping Up Around the Country

Providing Panic Buttons in Hotels Can Improve Staff Safety…and Overall Efficiency

The #MeToo movement has taken the world by storm over the last several months. It has also given momentum to efforts in the hospitality industry to improve conditions for its most at-risk workers by requiring the use of panic buttons. Hotel staff responsible for serving guests, and cleaning/maintaining guest rooms have reported very high rates of sexual harassment and assault. The high rates of harassment are due to a variety of factors that makes this group of workers particularly vulnerable. Factors that make these workers more vulnerable to harassment include: English often not their native language, a general fear of retaliation from supervisors, a work environment that requires they enter isolated personal spaces.

Ordinances already passed in New York, Chicago and Seattle mean that hotels need to provide panic buttons and more stringent sexual harassment policies. Unincorporated parts of Sacramento county just passed an ordinance earlier this year, and workers in Las Vegas are planning to request panic buttons in upcoming negotiations. Daily fines or the risk of having licenses revoked can be the result of non-compliance with some of the new laws passed. These new ordinances usually specify the following for a panic button:

Something that staff can easily carry with them or wear as they go about their day-to-day tasks
Must be provided at no cost to the worker
Can summon help to their location

Technology is the Solution

RTLS (real-time location system) technology offers an ideal solution for meeting new hotel panic button law requirements. These systems are designed to locate people and things in real time using various technologies. Some RTLS uses UWB (ultra-wideband), BLE (Bluetooth low energy), IR (infrared) or Wi-Fi. Generally, a real-time location system is made of 3 main parts:

Software (usually on a computer at central security or main desk console)
Transmitters (small, portable devices worn or carried by staff that sends the location information)
Receivers (a stationary device, typically wall or ceiling mounted, that receives the location information from the transmitters)

Location accuracy and reliability of the system are absolutely critical to ensure the fastest response to a panic button call. Secure Care Products offers the ENVisionIT^® RTLS solution which uses UWB technology for accuracy to within ± 1 foot. This ensures instant room-level notification without a need for hardware in every single room. In addition, we offer a mobile app with picture push feature. This means anybody receiving a panic button alarm notification will see: name, location and photo of the person in need.

RTLS For Panic Buttons….and More

More cities and states across the country will pass legislation requiring hotels to provide panic buttons to their staff. This means we’re sure to see an increased need for RTLS in the hospitality industry. Generally, the hotel industry has resisted panic buttons as an undue cost. However, by selecting the right technology to meet panic button law requirements, hotels can do them selves a great service. UWB-based RTLS technology is an ideal panic button solution due to its high-level accuracy and reliability. But this technology easily lends itself to additional use cases in hotels/casinos/convention centers. Hotels can immediately start improving overall operational efficiency by using RTLS for workflow management and asset tracking. RTLS is a great technology for the future of hospitality. Contact us today to learn more about RTLS for your hotel.

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Is Your Facility Prepared for an Active Shooter Emergency?

By now, healthcare facilities are familiar with the CMS emergency preparedness rule. This rule provides “best practices” for disaster and emergency preparedness. But many sites, especially long-term care facilities, often overlook preparedness when it comes to an active shooter/armed intruder emergency. While it is a difficult scenario to think about, it is something that must be considered. Planning and preparation accordingly will ensure the best possible outcome in the event of such a tragedy.

Long-term care facilities face especially difficult challenges with regard to an active shooter event. With residents requiring varying levels of assistance and an environment that is often designed specifically to look and feel like a home, it can be challenging to imagine how an active shooter emergency would be best addressed. This is all the more reason to make planning and preparation for such an event a top priority. Below are four areas to help you start thinking about this very real threat:

Hazards Vulnerability Assessment (HVA)

This is where your team should list any and all potential hazards your facility could experience (including active shooter). In addition, you should indicate the likelihood of each hazard listed. This will help your team prioritize and focus on the most urgent areas of concern. For example, earthquake may be listed on every facility’s HVA. But if a facility is in California, the higher likelihood makes it a more urgent priority than for a facility in, say, Connecticut. Your risk assessment and planning and preparations all start based on the HVA, so make sure it’s as thorough as possible.

Communication with Local Emergency Responders

Be sure to reach out to your local emergency responders. Share and review your HVA with them and ask for their input – they will likely have suggestions to help you improve your plan. It’s important to communicate with these people who are likely to be the first responders to your facility in the event of an emergency. Describe and discuss your population with emergency responders so they have an understanding of who they could be dealing with in advance of an emergency.

Conduct Drills and Training

Almost everyone is familiar with fire drills. But training and preparing for an active shooter or other emergencies is just as critical. Drills should be done regularly, and be focused on specific emergencies (i.e. active shooter, fire, medical, etc). Practicing the specific functional aspects of preparation help ensure that your staff know exactly what to do in the case of any given event. While unpleasant to consider, unprepared personnel might freeze into inaction. When specific situations or events are practiced and drilled routinely, “muscle memory” kicks in when an event really happens.

Documentation

This step can easily be overlooked or thought to be not that important. But documenting everything about your emergency preparedness is critical. Many think about documentation for training purposes. However, documenting many other facets of your planning can be beneficial as well. Below are just a few suggestions of things you should consider capturing along the path to emergency preparedness:

Emergency planning and prep meeting minutes
Discussions or meetings held with local emergency responders
Outline of the steps and actions your facility has taken towards preparing for emergencies

Having documentation of such things is incredibly helpful as part of the planning and preparation process. And it can also become a valuable resource during post-event recovery. Being able to provide proof of your planning process, training records and other steps taken to prepare in advance for such an event can go a long way in the aftermath of an emergency.

As much as nobody expects such a tragedy at their facility, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take the time now to make sure your facility and staff are prepared. Many excellent resources are available and below we’ve provided a few links to help get you started.

Lastly, reach out to your local police and fire departments, your state’s health and human services department or even other local healthcare facilities. Our distributors would gladly help review your current security, fire safety and access control systems. They could also assist in specifying any new systems or upgrades that could help improve your facility’s safety. A wander management solution and real-time location system can ensure residents and patients don’t get into areas they shouldn’t, and help you know when and where everyone is at all times. Contact us today to learn more.

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Another Great Year at HIMSS

HIMSS18: RTLS and Mobile Solutions a Big Hit!

A small team from Secure Care Products was lucky enough to spend last week in sunny and warm Las Vegas. And as usual, it was

mVision demo at SCP Booth during HIMSS18

a great success!

Many folks dropped by the booth to talk about our RTLS solution, ENVisionIT^®. Many visitors said they definitely see the potential benefits of such a platform within their facilities. From real-time tracking and locating of staff and patients for better workflow, to eliminating time wasted searching for assets or equipment. But most were trying to get an understanding of the technology, how it works and how it might fit into their facility’s infrastructure. There is no doubt that RTLS was a hot topic this year at the HIMSS conference!

The other big draw to the Secure Care Products booth was our mVision^® mobile app. As mobile technology becomes more prevalent in healthcare, everyone wants to know how they can get critical information and notifications to the right people as quickly as possible. This is exactly what Secure Care’s mVision^® mobile app does. Pushing alerts and alarms from Secure Care Software directly to the right people at the right time. In addition, our picture push feature means you receive the picture of the person who triggered the alert or alarm. With the high volume of staff and patients in any given facility, we believe this picture push feature brings tremendous value. Why waste time going to a central computer console for information when you can have it in the palm of your hand?

Infant protection, home health care and the use of cloud technology were other topics we heard about from several people during the conference last week. We’d like to thank everyone who took time to visit our booth! If you didn’t get a chance to go to HIMSS this year, or perhaps just ran out of time to visit our booth – feel free to contact us. We’d love a chance to talk about the fantastic solutions we could bring to your facility.

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New Hampshire #5 Overall in 2018

U.S. News Ranks N.H. #5 Overall in the Country

Secure Care Products has been headquartered and manufacturing in the Granite State since we were founded more than 35 years ago! Glad to see our great state made the top 5 in the 2018 U.S. News Best States Ranking! For more than 3 decades, we’ve been providing innovative protection solutions to help companies safeguard their people, assets and profits. From healthcare and hospitality, to manufacturing and education Secure Care has a solution for your business. We’re proud to design, manufacture and sell in the Live Free or Die state!

If you’re in Las Vegas this week, come check us out as we exhibit at the biggest healthcare IT tradeshow in the country – HIMSS18! We’ll be doing demos of our mVision^® mobile app, and offering visitors to our booth a chance to win an Amazon Echo and Amazon Echo Dots! Booth #11647.

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