Integration Of Wander Managment System With Access Control

I asked the same question in Anti-Wandering Access Options? with little feedback, but (off-line) a consultant gave me a compelling reason the systems are separate in the vast majority of cases:

Most facilities treat patient care (like anti-wandering) with an entirely different set of employees than they do physical access.

Bluntly, I was told that facilities don't necessarily trust nurse staff or other caregivers with the ability to work the access control systems too.

That seems petty, but it may help explain why such a straightforward thing is not more common.

I just wrote an article on Linked-in regarding using facial recognition for patient wander, the VMS can then be integrated into the access control. I can send you copy of info if you want.

Definitely an interesting engineering challenge and approach has everything to do with success.

First issue to address is the fact that two completely different operational conditions will exist on the same door(s).

Access control is simple and straight forward enough. You either have access or you do not.

Patient wandering is a completely different approach in that the doors are unlocked until a patient (visitor with a baby) tries to leave thru the doors and they lock and remain locked  as long as they are near the doors with a tag attached to the patient/baby.

These two approaches are completely different from each other.

The correct approach will cost more money and the incorrect approach will cost even more money.

Install the two separate systems in tandem on the door(s) and let each one do their respective jobs correctly.

Access Control: Whatever flavor you prefer as they all do the same thing differently (personality) (we all could show off and explain how to manipulate the access control system to do things it was never intended to do, but then you shackle yourself to the site and no one else can ever work on it and that helps no one at all.)

Patient Wandering: Bosch Security Escort is a very solid product with versatility built in. It can lock the door when a tagged patient approaches as well as tell you where there are within the area they are confined to. You can tag equipment too (computers on wheels)

There are others as well, but since you already mentioned those I just added this as an alternate quality product to consider.

If you wish to dig deeper into this topic let me know.

I am sure there are lots of ways to do this.  We have Elpas installed at one site.  It is integrated with our access control system.  The system was installed before I began working here so I am not completely sure of all the integration.  What I do know is the patients wear bracelets that cannot be removed, when they approach a door, that door will not open for them.  It also alerts staff as to who is at the door.  When that person is escorted to the door, the door will allow them to pass if the staff is allowed to escort the patient.  The system can also be expanded in such a way to actually track patients as they go from room to room.