Staff Duress in Behavioral Health
Staff feel safer with a staff duress button badge
According to Modern Healthcare Magazine, “Medicaid, the nation's largest payer for behavioral health, is on the cusp of allowing stand-alone psychiatric hospitals into its provider networks for the first time.”
This is big news for behavioral healthcare providers, but also raises the question; how are we going to protect our patients/residents and staff? Caregivers are faced with the possibility of violence from their patients, more specifically those working in mental health facilities. These caregivers are more susceptible than any other healthcare branch.
Some of the most valuable strategies and tools for caring for our caregivers are available through the OSHA Worker Safety in Hospitals page. In addition, the Joint Commission recommends installing an emergency communication system that enables staff to quickly and easily signal for help in urgent situations. There are many options available; however, the statistics show that Ultra Wide Band (UWB) Technology for a Real Time Locating System may be the perfect solution for staff duress.
Here’s why:
Staff Safety: Staff members feel confident knowing that help is available at any time; by simply pushing a button, an alert and location will be sent to other staff members, security and anyone else deemed appropriate, making it easier to receive help when needed.
More accurate: Locate the staff member in real time within one foot, UWB can permeate through walls while retaining extreme accuracy.
Help can also be automated. The ability to create zones on floor plans used in conjunction with rules from a rules-based engine for reporting, time stamped record keeping and alerting; if “Patient A” should enter an alerted zone such as the room of say, “Patent B”, staff will be immediately alerted and shown where the alert or alarm is taking place on a floor map, further protecting staff and other patients. Zones can be established for a whole campus, facility, department, room, bed, or even chair level.
Integration with other systems allows for protection as well as ease of use for staff and administrators.
Keeping staff safe is a priority for all healthcare organizations; UWB helps make it easier, more accurate, and easier to use with the next generation of RTLS technology.
Find out how our staff duress solution can help you.
