4 Key Uses for AI-Driven Video Analytics in Hospitals

Comprehensive Situational Awareness for a Safer, more Secure, and Optimized Healthcare Environment 

Hospitals and healthcare facilities are bustling hubs of activity, with thousands of people traversing them daily. While many healthcare facilities have video cameras and surveillance systems for safety and security, the human eye is not capable of capturing and interpreting the sheer volume of real-time and post-event video, making their limited situational awareness a liability. But hospitals that leverage AI-driven video analytics are leveling up their situational awareness and delivering safer, more secure, and optimized healthcare environments.  

What is AI-Driven Video Analytics? 

Video analytics is a technology that transforms traditional surveillance resources into a proactive and intelligent system that can pinpoint vulnerabilities and benefit the safety and security of every healthcare facility area. For example, hospitals require their entrances to remain clear of vehicles and people. If loitering is detected, AI-driven video analytics can immediately alert security so they can determine a proper response. While some loitering is simply the result of helping a disabled patient out of a vehicle, other times it can be indicative of dangerous behaviors. Because AI video analytics can draw attention to nuances in video that the human eye cannot efficiently detect, this powerful technology increases hospital safety by empowering proactive, real-time response.  

Ready to make your hospital safer, more secure, and more efficient?  Grab the BriefCam Healthcare Business Cases eBook for insights and real-world applications of AI video.

4 Key Uses for AI-Driven Video Analytics in Hospitals and Healthcare Facilities  

Healthcare environments process and collect video 24/7 – 365 days a year. AI-driven video analytics processes this video footage in real-time and post-event so you can detect objects, identify behavioral patterns, and trigger alerts and transform your video into the critical data you need to make hospitals safer, more secure, and more efficient — every day. Let’s dig into 4 key uses for AI-driven video analytics in hospitals and healthcare facilities: 

1. Streamlining Emergency Response with AI-Driven Video Analytics

Every second counts in a healthcare environment, especially when it comes to emergencies; AI-driven video analytics supports streamlined emergency response by leveraging the power of real-time alerts. For instance, video analytics can alert staff when an ambulance enters the hospital grounds so appropriate staff can meet the vehicle in real-time and assess the situation without delay. Additionally, clear and accessible ambulance bays are critical to swift patient care. Video analytics systems can detect unauthorized vehicles, persons, and objects in ambulance bays and trigger alerts that initiate immediate response and clearance of those unauthorized objects. This proactive approach allows relevant personnel to quickly clear the area, preventing potentially life-threatening delays in emergency care.  

2. Enhancing Safety and Security Measures with AI-Driven Video Analytics

Security in healthcare facilities extends beyond just monitoring entry points. Video analytics technology provides a comprehensive approach to detecting and preventing suspicious activities throughout the facility and in parking lots/garages where suspicious activity is heightened. AI-driven video analytics can alert security staff to unusual loitering or dwellings in sensitive areas such as storage rooms, pharmacies, and parking garages. This capability is particularly valuable in preventing drug diversion, a significant concern in healthcare settings.  

Moreover, facial recognition technology can be integrated into areas where it is permitted to increase access control measures for restricted areas. By combining these video analytic capabilities, healthcare facilities can create a more secure environment for staff, patients, and valuable medical resources. 

3. Protecting Vulnerable Patients and Staff with AI-Driven Video Analytics

Patient and staff safety is paramount in healthcare settings. While violence in the workplace can occur across many industries and professions, this issue disproportionately impacts the healthcare workforce. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare workers are five times more likely to sustain a workplace violence injury than other professions. In 2018, 73% of all nonfatal workplace violence-related injuries involved healthcare workers, and that has only increased in recent years.  

AI-driven video analytics offers innovative solutions for patent and staff safety. For example, video analytics for weapons detection and contact tracing could prove invaluable in negating incidents of workplace violence or active assailant threats. Additionally, a person who has violated patient or staff safety can be added to a watchlist that alerts security if the person reenters the premises.  

For patients with conditions such as Alzheimer’s, setting specific rules that trigger alerts if high-risk patients leave designated areas empowers hospital staff to intervene in real-time. Furthermore, staff can quickly locate wandering patients within the medical complex by quickly searching and filtering video to locate the missing individual. Having a robust and accurate toolbox of AI/ Video analytics to choose from is the key to enhancing hospital safety and providing peace of mind to family members and caregivers. 

4. Optimizing Health Care Facility Management with AI-Driven Video Analytics

AI-driven video analytics is also a game changer for healthcare facility management. Managing crowd flow, maintaining cleanliness, and expediting patient care are ongoing challenges in busy healthcare environments. Video analytics can help monitor occupancy levels in various areas, such as waiting rooms, cafeterias, and other public spaces. When predefined thresholds are exceeded, the software alerts staff so they can take the necessary action.  

Hygiene standards, a critical factor in healthcare settings, can also be enhanced and maintained with AI-driven video analytics. For instance, real-time alerts can help facility managers deploy cleaning staff based on use. This ensures that high-traffic areas remain sanitary, reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections, improving the overall facility cleanliness, and managing resources in a timely manner. Maintaining the highest quality of patient and visitor satisfaction is critical when choosing the hospital and healthcare facility of choice.  

Revolutionizing Patient Care with AI-Driven Video Analytics 

AI-driven video analytics represents a significant leap forward in hospital and healthcare facility management. By providing comprehensive situational awareness and actionable insights, video analytics enables hospitals and healthcare facilities to create safer, more efficient environments for patients, staff, and visitors alike. As healthcare evolves, embracing technologies like AI will be crucial for facilities aiming to stay at the forefront of patient care and operational excellence. The more robust the video analytics toolbox, the more the hospital can learn, increase safety, and grow their business. Thanks to AI, the future of hospital and healthcare security and management is more intelligent, responsive, and effective than ever. 

Ready to learn how to tackle the most critical healthcare issues with AI-Driven Video Analytics? Check the BriefCam Healthcare Business Cases eBook.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in April 2020, and has been refreshed and updated for accuracy.