Groupe Hospitalier Mutualiste Portes du Sud

Wireless also brings compatibility with existing mortise locks and easy, cost-effective installation without cables.

As well as protecting premises with a futureproofed solution, managers value the autonomy that wireless access control gives. On any date, at any time of day or night, the ease of use and maintenance of a wire-free system makes life simpler for hospital technicians.

The key requirements were:

• A wire-free solution which would future-proof access control
• A replacement for metal keys and the ability to audit access for faster incident investigation
• Flexibility to tailor rights to a whole team or just one person
• Devices which could be installed or moved by the customer
• A scalable system where door coverage can easily be adjusted
• Option to unlock doors with a mobile phone app in the future
•  Web management option for new buildings or Group expansion

All three specialist security providers who were consulted recommended the same system: SMARTair^® from ASSA ABLOY.

Hospital doors are now locked securely with battery-powered, wireless escutcheons: «One SMARTair^® escutcheon on its own replaces a wired reader, an electrical connection and a magnetic lock. And it is just as safe», says Frédéric Steenhoute. 

All credentials, door devices and users are managed easily from SMARTair^®’s TS1000 software. When someone loses their badge, managers cancel it with a couple of clicks, which saves the money and time which would be wasted changing locks in a mechanical system. If property goes missing, it’s easy to trace who went where and when, which keeps equipment and personal belongings safer.

If the hospital’s requirements change in the future, they can fit escutcheons with antibacterial coating or mobile credentials, for example. SMARTair^®’s Openow^™ mobile app option enables management and door unlocking by smartphone. And with no mechanical keys to order — badges are fast and cost-efficient to print from their own printer — the hospital saves money, too.

Choosing SMARTair^® has enabled hospital managers to install and maintain the system in-house, which saves even more time and money.

«Wireless solutions allow us to be autonomous», adds Steenhoute. «It is very easy to remove an escutcheon from one door and to install it on another door; all our technicians can do it.»