Your hospital keys could be working harder. Here’s how

Programmable electronic key systems put the advantages of sophisticated access control into the form of a traditional key. They reinvent the key for the 21^st century, making it more flexible, more powerful and better equipped to handle the security demands of a busy place. Lost keys and departed employees are no longer a problem, because their key’s access rights can be cancelled with a click.

And at multiple secure points around the hospital, the familiarity of a key is welcome to a user group who are not experts — at least, not in access control technology.

Upgrade a key’s IQ

Keys can be as smart as any card-based credential. For example, CLIQ^Ò technology from ASSA ABLOY backs up the familiarity and ease of use of key-based locking with the flexible management and real-time security features of an intelligent electronic access system.

A CLIQ locking system consists of battery-powered, programmable keys; cable-free padlocks and cylinders that are easy to retrofit to almost any standard opening; and management software you can run locally or via a secure cloud. For users, CLIQ means carrying a single, programmable key pre-loaded to unlock all authorised openings — not just doors, but also gates, alarm boxes, cabinets and lifts. Say goodbye to huge key rings.

For hospital security managers, a programmable key solution enables you to create personalised access schedules — even for temporary contractors — and collect audit trails for doors or keyholders automatically. Staff travel into, out of and through the hospital based on rules you set and program into their keys.

Medicine management with key-based access control

Many hospitals find CLIQ invaluable in managing access to medicines and other controlled substances. Nursing staff using older mechanical key systems struggle to keep track of who has the right keys. Searching for that person to gain access to drugs wastes precious time. Unauthorized access to drug stores can, of course, bring serious financial and safety implications.

At Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, pharmacy managers sought a better solution adapted to nurse-accessed medicine stores. They chose a PROTEC² CLIQ system which combines mechanical disc cylinders with battery powered, programmable CLIQ keys. Lock electronics are powered by the battery inside every key, so the retrofit was cable-free. CLIQ devices secure doors, cabinets and mobile drug trolleys within the same access system. Security and pharmacy managers can see who opened every lock whenever they want — making medicine audits and incident investigation much easier.

“Programmable key solutions can really boost medicine safety in hospitals,” says Stephan Schulz, CLIQ Product Manager at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEA. “Nurses at Queen Elizabeth, Birmingham, carry their own key with personalised access rights, so they don’t waste time finding out who has the key to every cupboard. Patients benefit.”

“A similar system trialled at Scunthorpe Hospital found the total wasted time eliminated would equate to having an additional 24 nurses on duty across the Trust every day,” Stephan Schulz adds.

Software and hardware in harmony

Key-based access solutions are equally comfortable at scale. At University Hospital Frankfurt 1,100 eCLIQ cylinders secure doors in a new building. A fully electronic implementation of CLIQ technology, eCLIQ cylinders and keys are easy for staff to use and for hospital security managers to administer from web-based software.

The CLIQ Web Manager makes it easy to program, reprogram and audit every CLIQ key, cylinder or padlock. Because the interface is accessible from anywhere with an internet connection — via multifactor login over https:// — you can manage a CLIQ system whenever and from wherever you choose. Its architecture supports multiple administrators or sites.

The Web Manager also integrates easily with all kinds of business management software, helping you automate tedious operations and processes. You can make the Web Manager one element within an existing access control system, if you choose.

The Web Manager can run in a self-hosted IT environment or completely free of local software installation with two different Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions: Shared SaaS or Dedicated SaaS with hosting just for you and maintenance schedules you set. With either option, your security software is always up-to-date — a major benefit in healthcare, where confidentiality makes cyber-attack resistance critical.

Learn more about CLIQ^Ò access control and download a free solution guide at https://campaigns.assaabloyopeningsolutions.eu/cli