INSIGHTS
Today, more than a billion cars are on the road, and this figure is expected to double within the next couple decades. Often ignored is the fact that much traffic comes from drivers cruising for a vacant or cheaper parking spot — recent studies indicate drivers hunting for parking account for roughly 50 percent of traffic. Traffic congestion leads to driver frustration, which may increase the number of accidents and excessive carbon emission, which impacts air quality and raises environmental issues. Smarter parking facilities and measures ensure the security of parking facilities and quality of life for local residents, as well as relieve environmental stress related to automobiles.
Assigning Access Priorities
Date: 2011/06/01
Source: a&s International
Centralized Monitoring
Today, securing different units within a health care institution can be met by integrated software solutions like physical security information management (PSIM) and video analytics, although cost considerations might hinder their real-life uptake. "Larger facilities, or those with multiple hospitals within a system, have begun investigating these technologies, but often video surveillance is still managed through human interaction and as a post-
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| Lisa Pryse |
incident analysis,” Botti said. "Health care IT budgets simply do not address this as a priority because many of these initiatives are seen as costs with no return, even in the current climate."
However, other industry experts are optimistic about future deployments, as they help security personnel monitor foot traffic and safety in various units within a health care institution. "Video analytics and PSIM are definitely picking up speed as they allow multiple facility locations to have the security systems viewed and operated from one central location,” Pryse said. “This change is preferable, as it applies economy of- scale principles — fewer staff are required to perform the same or more functions."
To group all existing systems onto one monitoring and controlling interface, health care facilities should look for access control devices that are based on open standards. "Open architectures are designed to work with most access control and other security systems," Conrad said. "This ensures that the devices chosen will not only work now with the existing system but also any system they might move to in the future. By not having to replace devices during a system transition, their future acquisition and installation costs can be greatly reduced."