In addition to my assignment for the Dutch Tax Authorities, I also have an assignment at a care institution for the elderly. And if I'm very honest, I think the last group is one of the best target groups there is. In any case, I have a soft spot for healthcare institutions in general. You immediately see what you are doing it for and hope to create a better environment for people, which increases the quality and pleasure of life.
My current assignment concerns the selection and implementation of a healthcare system based on home automation and telephony, integrated. Everyone nowadays knows the internet of things, smart sensors or other electronics that can all communicate with each other and so that you can automate many things.
I could form an idea of home automation in healthcare institutions, but not in detail, now that I've been around for a while, more and more scenarios are emerging where it can be used.
one of the problems faced by many institutions is the night watch. Healthcare workers often take a nighttime round or there is (if the family gives permission) permanent camera surveillance. Running a round means losing a lot of time and unnecessarily (possibly) disturbing the clients during their night's rest. With a home automation system you can connect sensors, with motion sensors you can set that an alarm or notification is generated when the behavior of the client is different than expected. For example, it is known that Mr Jansen always has to go to the toilet at night and that this never takes longer than 5 minutes before he is back in bed. The system can monitor this and then only generate an alarm if it lasts longer than 5 minutes. The care worker can then still go to Mr Jansen or look through a camera to see if everything is still okay.
Or another scenario, location determination. Clients are allowed to roam freely throughout the property. This has recently been legally determined in the Netherlands. The law "care and coercion". Now there are a number of areas where they are not allowed to enter, for example areas that pose a danger to them or to the outside. Based on a wearable, the system keeps track of where they are. When they are somewhere they have access, doors will open or remain open. When they have no access or authorization, doors close or remain closed. This is all fully automatic. Even when a client is walking and something happens that causes him or her to press the alarm, they can immediately locate them by means of location determination. This gives a lot of freedom to the client, it keeps the situation safe and care workers have more time for real care instead of the peripheral matters.
Although the possibilities seem endless, you have to be careful not to miss the target. It must remain functional for both the care worker and the client, always with the client's interests at the forefront.
There are many suppliers in this industry, which also makes it difficult to make the right choices. In general, they all use a similar infrastructure, but it is precisely this choice that must be made carefully. You do not choose an infrastructure for a few years, but for at least 10 years, it is expensive and drastic (laying cabling, network components, etc.) I find that the most difficult challenge in the process so far. Which supplier do you choose and why. Of course a financially correct choice, but also with the most flexibility. And then of course the requested functionality. :) It is a long-term investment and a lot of money .... So a meticulous process ..
Source
But regardless of the technology, the most important thing is to serve the target group, the clients, and the healthcare workers. And that starting point gives me energy and drive every day ...
I wish you a nice evening
Greeting,
Peter