Stanley Healthcare, Nashville, Tenn, announced the new generation of Hugs, its Wi-Fi-based, campus-wide infant protection system. Hugs helps mother infant matching and prevents infant abduction. Previous iterations of the technology already protects more than 1.5 million newborns each year. The new Hugs solution works with standard Wi-Fi and is able to track the location of babies anywhere in a hospital where Wi-Fi coverage exists—it is not confined to particular units. If anyone attempts to leave a monitored area with a protected child without authorization, the Hugs solution will set off an alarm, activate magnetic door locks, and hold specified elevators. Staff and security can also immediately locate a protected child anywhere in the hospital by accessing system’s web browser based application from any PC or mobile device. The Hugs solution also provides automatic and audible alert when an infant is brought to the wrong mother, in support of the traditional matching ID band system.

In addition to this hospital-wide infant security, the Hugs solution now offers a range of additional patient safety and operational awareness features for the Obstetrics Department, including:

  • automatic temperature monitoring of breast milk refrigeration units, blanket warmers, and pharmaceutical cabinets
  • asset tracking of breast pumps, wheelchairs, and other key assets
  • the staff assist feature, which enables staff to call for help for patients or themselves
  • hand hygiene compliance monitoring to improve infection prevention through automated around-the-clock monitoring of hand hygiene events.

Hugs is built on the Stanley Healthcare AeroScout Wi-Fi-based RTLS platform and MobileView enterprise software. It also integrates with:

Hospital information systems, such as Admission Discharge and Transfer  (ADT) systems to automate admissions via HL7 Communications systems, including VOIP staff badges, IP phones, pagers and other alarm systems for event

Security and access control systems, including magnetic door locks, IP relay systems connected to strobe lights, sounders or other devices, or closed-circuit TV (CCTV) to capture and view footage starting before an exit alarm occurrence