Considering Wi-Fi for Your Life Safety System?

Posted by Accutech on August 2, 2019 8:04 am

Health care worker typing on a computer keyboard

Accutech Systems can guarantee functionality when a computer crashes or your Wi-Fi goes down

With today’s technology, it’s easy to connect to everything from your social media account to your company’s online servers. But what happens - and we’ve all been there - when Wi-Fi goes down or slows down? It can be inconvenient, inefficient, and downright frustrating. Especially when you’re trying to work, and the lost connection translates into lost data, productivity and the company’s bottom line.

Now imagine that scenario with a life-safety system in a hospital or senior living community. It’s not just inconvenient, it’s downright dangerous.

Popular security and protection companies are marketing a new trend in infant protection and wander management systems. This trend involves depending on Wi-Fi and computers to guarantee protection of patients and residents. On the surface, this appears to simplify infrastructure setup by connecting systems to the facilities’ standard Wi-Fi. A seemingly efficient method that keeps track of infants and residents, but by relying on Wi-Fi for security technology – the risk of a dropped connection – can translate into a lost baby or successful elopement.

“As an integrator of security products, we want to be associated with a system and a company that promises a platform with guaranteed safety for the elderly and infants that need it the most,” said David Alessandrini, President of Pasek Corporation. “While new technology should be explored, the implementation of systems in these facilities should not be associated with any potential risk to the populations that are served.”

To put it in an emergency context - imagine your fire protection system is on a Wi-Fi network. Instead of unstable Wi-Fi, you want a precise system, configured for 100% up-time and shielded from inconsistencies. You need a life safety system that is secure and stable.

Accutech’s Dedicated Network: Don’t Lose Security, Ever

Accutech Security has been using a unique combination of radio-frequency (RF) technologies to support dedicated wireless infrastructure since 1985. RFID is the technology that transfers data from a small electronic tag with a microchip to a nearby reader device through radio waves. Accutech’s ResidentGuard wander management systems and Cuddles infant protection systems are ETL listed, hyper-localized and are an extraordinarily reliable technology that keeps residents/patients safe and protected.

“Accutech Security is always researching cutting edge solutions in technology to simplify and improve infrastructure implementation in security systems,” said Chris Konicek, Sales & Marketing Director, Accutech Security Solutions. “Can we wirelessly send non-essential data to a variety of systems, yes! Are we willing to rely on a non-dedicated network to prevent an infant abduction or wandering event, no! But we are definitely remaining on the forefront, while continuing to prioritize serving the market of the most vulnerable populations.”

Another uncertainty of Wi-Fi is in estimating the cost of implementation. Wi-Fi supported life safety systems seem simple on the surface, but the actual execution to ensure 100% up-time can be extremely costly. This scope and cost creep with Wi-Fi is a pain point for hospitals and facilities. Consumers caught up in seemingly seamless demos promising low costs utilizing existing infrastructure are frequently finding themselves in a costly infrastructure restructuring nightmare.

Instability is not part of Accutech Security platforms or costs.

Invest in Patient, Resident Safety

Don’t trust the safety of your littlest patients and residents to an unpredictable Wi-Fi structure. Accutech Security Solution offers top-of-the-line infant protection and wander management systems that work to the benefit of patients, residents, and your staff. Want to learn more about our RFID supported systems? Visit our Resource Library today.