Securitas Healthcare and Sonitor Partner to Transform RTLS Technology

Securitas Healthcare, a market leading provider of visibility and analytics solutions for the healthcare industry, today announced that it is integrating Sonitor’s proprietary Sense High Definition Ultrasound indoor positioning technology into its AeroScout® Real-Time Location System (RTLS) platform. The expanded partnership with Sonitor will enable hospitals to implement RTLS solutions at a lower total cost of ownership and with greater ease and less complexity.

“The key value delivered by RTLS solutions is the detailed information they generate on the interactions of patients, staff and assets as they move about the hospital. This data give hospitals unique insight into complex care processes, driving improved care delivery, streamlined workflows and cost savings. This insight depends on the ability to locate accurately and reliably at the room and sub-room level,” said Gabi Daniely, Vice President of Product Strategy & Business Development, Securitas Healthcare. “With this technology, hospitals can more quickly and easily adopt advanced RTLS applications such as Patient Flow, Staff Workflow and PAR level Asset Management. The result is an even more compelling ROI for RTLS solutions.”

The integrated solution achieves precise room or sub-room level accuracy in complex indoor environments. Ultrasound provides a number of benefits relative to other kinds of room/sub-room level infrastructure:

• Cost effective: A single location transmitter can create up to 4 unique zones, reducing the number of required devices. Devices can be wireless to reduce cabling costs and be powered by 4 standard D cell alkaline batteries offering 3-5 years of battery life. Alternatively, customers can choose to power the device with PoE (Power over Ethernet);
• Easy deployment: Location transmitters attach to ceiling tiles via simple grid clips, with no cabling required, thus eliminating the disruption, expense and complexity created by hard-wiring. Entire hospital units can be installed, adjusted and configured in a matter of hours;
• Scalable: Devices can be added or relocated quickly and easily without disruption to patient care. Once deployed, additional use cases can be added with little to no increase in infrastructure required;
• Highly reliable: Ultrasound delivers high room or sub-room location accuracy in a variety of environments, and performance is not affected by glass, ambient light or other factors.

The new solution has been deployed at OHSU Hospital in Portland, OR, a longtime Securitas Healthcare customer. The successful pilot for management of sequential compression devices gives the hospital visibility to the location of devices in clean/soiled utility rooms, storage rooms and a decontamination room, and enables the hospital to adopt a PAR level approach to management of the devices.

“We are pleased to be building on our long-term partnership with Securitas Healthcare,” said Anne Bugge, President and CEO of Sonitor Technologies, Inc. “The market for indoor positioning and real-time applications in healthcare is evolving rapidly, with hospitals demanding greater performance at lower total cost of ownership. Ultrasound is a proven technology for indoor positioning and the unique properties of ultrasound allow it to be a highly accurate and cost-effective solution for healthcare. 

As a result of its unique properties, ultrasound also lends itself to further innovation for applications, delivering significant value and benefits to patients and caregivers.” The agreement between Sonitor and Securitas Healthcare ensures that new technology innovations from Sonitor will also be available to Securitas Healthcare’s clients.