MINNEAPOLIS - Honeywell today announced a $2.5 million contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to install an integrated security system, including innovative patient protection technology, for the new 269,000-square-foot Bassett Army Community Hospital at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Because of the extreme weather conditions in Alaska, where temperatures can drop to 65 degrees below zero, the hospital will house multiple services -- such as a dental office and pharmacy -- so patrons don't have to travel to multiple locations for their healthcare needs. With the Honeywell security system, the hospital will be able to control building access, track at-risk patients and maintain a complete picture of activity across the entire facility for optimum safety, security and staff productivity.
"For an Army hospital, quick response time and an ongoing awareness of what is happening in the building are critical to maintaining patient, staff and equipment safety," said Ray Heuer, security manager, U.S. Army Medical Department Activity - Alaska. "The integrated Honeywell system will provide comprehensive security and instant information on all activities as they occur, allowing us to respond immediately to issues."
Honeywell has performed work at Fort Wainwright for more than 25 years, providing building, fire and security controls for a variety of facilities used by more than 12,000 soldiers and employees. The new security system will be linked to the other security and building systems throughout the base with Honeywell Enterprise Buildings Integrator(TM) (EBI), a management platform that integrates core building functions for simplified monitoring and control. With this integrated, base-wide network, Army personnel can access and manage any system in real time from any workstation.
The security system at the hospital includes cards and readers that will help control access to various parts of the building, as well as entrances. The card access technology will ease the task of regulating who can enter what areas in this multi-use facility.
In addition, the hospital will use patient protection technology from Honeywell for infants and other people who require additional safety measures. Using tags equipped with infrared (IR) and radio frequency (RF) technology, hospital personnel can track the location of patients and take action if a baby is moved outside the maternity ward, for example. In the event of an emergency, the tags can help locate patients for evacuation.
Honeywell also will install Honeywell Digital Video Manager(TM) (DVM), a digital closed-circuit television system that will tie together all camera and surveillance functions onto the EBI platform. DVM -- like the other Honeywell security components -- can be integrated with other building systems throughout the network, and will allow hospital staff to view, record, play back and store video clips from a single workstation anywhere on the base. For example, if someone triggers an access control alarm at the hospital by trying to enter a specific area without authorization, personnel can easily pinpoint the exact location and view the associated clip. They will spend less time looking for clips and tracking activity, which will significantly improve productivity.
Plus, the Honeywell system is scalable, which means it can be sized to accommodate the hospital's expected growth and development, and allow for the addition of more security equipment as needed. The new hospital itself is designed to sustain at least 50 years of use.
"Healthcare needs can change dramatically over time, and with this system, we'll be able to adapt and adjust as necessary to provide the best patient safety and security possible," Heuer said.
Both the construction of the hospital and installation of the security system are scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
"Hospitals operate under a complex umbrella of regulations, demands and missions, but paramount for all is the need to ensure the safety and security of patients and staff," said Joe Puishys, president of Honeywell Building Solutions. "With decades of experience in the healthcare industry, Honeywell has the right mix of advanced technology and healthcare insight to ensure hospitals maximize safety, security and efficiency."
