Security for staff and patients in a growing health centre
Familjeläkarna in Mölnlycke operate on behalf of the Västra Götaland region primary care. They are a healthcare centre undergoing strong growth. In order to be able to guarantee security for both patients and staff, Familjeläkarna in Mölnlycke invested in a customised alarm solution from COBS.
Older equipment and missing information in communication
Naseer Ahmed became co-owner of the health centre in 2019. Since then, the centre has undergone a rebranding and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the centre went from 2,300 enrolled patients to 5,000. patients.
Familjeläkarna in Mölnlycke had an existing alarm system in the older parts of their premises. But the the alarm solution was poorly planned and even if the staff could receive an alarm, there was no possibility for them to know which room the alarm came from. This complicated the work of the care centre.
When Familjeläkarna in Mölnlycke expanded their operations to include a rehabilitation department, they took over premises that were not previously equipped with alarms.
Since the staff had been working with their older alarm solution before, they were well aware of their requirements and what they were looking for in a new alarm solution to meet their specific needs.
Personal alarm systems are an incredibly important part of a healthcare centre. To be able to respond to patients’ needs, the staff must be equipped with all the conditions for good communication, good co-operation and a safe workplace.
Risky situations can arise when working in health and social care. You often encounter people who experience fear, discomfort and pain. Both patients and family members can act out of emotion and there can be potentially create situations of violence. It is particularly important to be able to call for assistance on rehabilitation rehabilitation wards, where the risk of incidents is higher.
– Being able to give staff and patients peace of mind is extremely important to me. This is the main objective of investing in alarms and something we continuously discuss with our staff, explains Naseer Ahmed.
Customised solution after on-site consultation
Familjeläkarna in Mölnlycke made the decision to contact COBS after seeing good reviews and together with COBS, Familjeläkarna in Mölnlycke explored different solutions to tailor to their particular health centre. COBS technical specialists inspected the premises and were then able to suggest the number and type of units needed for an optimal solution.
“COBS consistently showed a good understanding of our situation and needs. They understood the problem and were able to offer the right solution for us. We felt that we were in safe hands with someone who was keen to establish build trust. COBS was keen to find a solution tailored to our business, instead of selling as large or expensive a system as possible. That’s why we chose to work with COBS,” says Naseer.
Naseer wanted a completely wireless solution as it means less cabling. It was also important that the alarm buttons could be placed flexibly, such as at arm’s length within the staff’s workspace, on walls or simply carried discreetly in a pocket.
Since the health centre had larger premises, it was it was also important that the alarm solution could provide staff with positioning, which means that alarms that are activated also provides information about which room the alarm is coming from.
The care centre invested in an alarm solution consisting of several COBS PAT+ portable alarm buttons, which can be attached to any surface or discreetly worn by staff. The buttons allow positioning and the alarms are shown on displays in the care centre. With these alarm buttons you can distinguish between assistance alarms and emergency alarms. It was also dismantled inside the rehabilitation centre’s changing rooms, so that patients can call for staff.
In the medical centre’s toilets, COBS wall-mounted ALERT buttons were mounted low on the wall to the wall, to adapt to accessibility requirements.
To complement the alarm buttons in the system, the family doctors in Mölnlycke also invested in the COBS small handset, A-Pager, with 2-way communication and indoor positioning. Better communication, safer working conditions and lone working in the wards of the health centre
The family doctors in Mölnlycke now have a well-planned alarm solution that covers the entire operation and it is now possible for the staff to communicate even if they are in different parts of the health centre.
“The alarm solution from COBS has streamlined operations and enabled lone working without compromising staff safety. We have used the alarms for both assistance and in more acute situations and it has worked flawlessly. The products are robust and they were easy to learn.
COBS is a professional company that I am happy to recommend. They are extremely knowledgeable in their field and I know that I will turn to COBS if I need help, advice or service,” says Naseer Ahmed.
Facts*
- Number of employees: 115
- Number of patients: 5 000
- Premises: 450 kvm
*collected November 2023
