Summary: CenTrak’s DuressRT application won the “Best IoT Healthcare Security Solution” at the MedTech Breakthrough Awards. The solution uses RTLS badges to enhance staff safety by providing rapid responses to duress events. It features location accuracy, a dedicated emergency button, and real-time updates to improve healthcare facility security.

Key Takeaways:

  • Enhanced Safety Measures: DuressRT employs RTLS badges for precise location tracking and rapid response to staff duress events.
  • User-Friendly Features: The badges include a recessed emergency button, IP67 durability, extended battery life, and real-time updates.

CenTrak announced that its cloud-based DuressRT application has been selected as winner of the “Best IoT Healthcare Security Solution” in the 8th annual MedTech Breakthrough Awards program. CenTrak provides a unified suite of software offerings that includes DuressRT as a way to enable rapid responses to staff duress and safety events in healthcare.

Advanced Technology for Enhanced Security

Leveraging a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) Multi-Mode Platform, CenTrak’s DuressRT employs wearable Real-Time Location System (RTLS) badges, with a hybrid architecture, that can transition between BLE and all CenTrak Clinical-Grade Locating (CGL) environments. This enables increased location accuracy in critical areas such as emergency departments and behavioral health units, while choosing more economical deployment options in other areas of the facility.

“Adopting RTLS staff duress supports security teams and provides peace of mind with the fastest possible response to incidents of workplace violence. Our cost-effective and scalable technology accelerates the implementation of RTLS, ensuring that more healthcare facilities have access to crucial safety resources,” said Marnie Lange Cossette, vice president of product management at CenTrak. “Thank you to MedTech Breakthrough for supporting our continuous efforts to meet the needs of resource-constrained healthcare organizations, and effectively tackle the ongoing safety challenges pervasive throughout the industry.”

Comprehensive Staff Duress Solution

With CenTrak’s staff duress solution and the centralized ConnectRT SaaS platform, employees are equipped with the ability to discreetly summon security and nearby colleagues to their location through the purpose-built, RTLS badge. The badges feature IP67 durability, extended battery life, over-the-air maintenance, and user notifications, such as diagnostic LEDs and an audible tone.

The dedicated emergency button comes with a recessed design to ensure easy identification and to avoid false alerts. Instant acknowledgment from the device when the alert is received by the system assures users that assistance is on the way, providing peace of mind. The supporting software, DuressRT, provides an intuitive user interface, efficient event/alert management, and incident response reporting. Staff also have a “follow” feature in the map view for real-time updates and active location changes for colleagues in duress.

Recognition and Industry Impact

“Violence against healthcare professionals has hit unprecedented levels. Exposure to workplace violence impairs patient care and leads to psychological distress,” said Steve Johansson, managing director, MedTech Breakthrough. “CenTrak’s DuressRT, our ‘Best IoT Healthcare Security Solution,’ emerges as a paradigm shift in the industry by ensuring staff duress alerts are immediately addressed to support staff, prevent escalation, and enhance safety for all.”