Page 35 - Security Today, March 2019

guards, access control systems, metal detec- tors and RFID security tags, only video surveillance offers the real-time situational picture for taking proactive and preventive action, as well as evidential recording for analysis, resolution, possible prosecution and liability purposes.
According to Ryan Mellow, key account manager for Milestone Systems, who is ex- perienced in dealing with healthcare projects, this sector faces many diverse challenges that video technology can resolve. The big- gest security concerns are centered around regulation compliance, safety matters, and
theprotectionofpeople,propertyandphysi- cal assets. Common security problems for healthcare facilities include:
• Loss of high-value medical equipment
and assets; internal or external theft
• Access, use and theft of drugs and other
pharmaceutical items
• Securing ‘hot labs’ with nuclear medi-
cines used for radiation
• Workplace, domestic or street violence
• Patient elopement, accountability
• Illegal parking
• Infant abduction
• Vandalism
• Liability
“A typical deployment in today’s health- care environment revolves around a main fa- cility that acts as the centralized point, which may or may not have a security operations center that is manned,” Mellow said. “The system then rolls out to other physical loca- tions, such as outpatient centers, clinics, labs, supply sites and pharmacies.”
Mellow explained that typically, autho- rized user access is defined in the system to see the live or archived video, which usually is recorded locally at the other sites, but the overall system is managed from the central facility. Increasingly, system administrators are utilizing existing IT infrastructure, run- ning the video management software on virtualized servers and taking advantage of existing data center resources.
“With everything else a hospital needs to deal with, cybersecurity is extremely im- portant in a healthcare setting,” Mellow said. “With data security, privacy issues and HIPAA regulations, the possibility of private health information being hacked can be very damaging both from a repu- tational standpoint and a financial stand- point.”
It’s critical that any surveillance network today use system-hardening features to help users develop policies that deter network at- tacks. Dual user authentication, end-to-end video encryption and digital signing plus en- cryption of exported video all play a role in a good cybersecurity plan.
Open Platform Developments
Developments in security and surveillance solutions based on open platform VMS are helping hospital and healthcare facilities protect people and property, provide situ- ational awareness, and enhance operations. Advantages of an open platform IP video surveillance system include:
• Seamless integration with other security systems (building management, access control, RFID, retail point-of-sale appli- cations) and a unified point of control for inter-operability
• The ability to add visual situational awareness and alerts to improve response times in emergency situations
• Superior information sharing with first responders, such as ambulance, police and fire departments
• Low total cost of ownership (TCO) and substantial cost savings through the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and third-party applications
• Protection against future system obsoles- cence and extensive “forklift upgrades”
• Easy and cost-effective expansion as needs grow
• Ability to add new innovations as they become available
Open architecture platforms make it
much easier to integrate with other secu- rity or business elements, like access control systems, lighting and perimeter gates and doors. Since many IP network cameras have digital outputs (I/O), the VMS can be used to program cameras to activate switches upon alarm signals to close, lock or open doors, turn lights on or off, set off alarms or other actions.
The benefits of an open platform extend beyond security-related integrations and play a key role in integrations with systems for staff shift monitoring, building control and management systems, traffic manage- ment systems, business intelligence analytics and complying with regulations for hygiene, fire and environmental issues. Video moni- toring is useful for operational efficiencies in managing deliveries, cleaning services, safe food preparation and staff training.
Video Analytics
Research shows that although nothing is more accurate than a trained human eye, a human observer’s effectiveness degrades quickly after short periods of time and as the number of cameras increase. Software, on the other hand, never tires. Software is al- ways watching, always analyzing and always ready to sound an alarm or send an alert. Some solutions integrate multiple video analytics systems (both server- and camera- based) under a single, easy-to-use interface to correlate alerts from different systems, to reduce false alerts and give security the best intelligence of a potential incident.
Video analytics technology has signifi- cantly advanced over the past few years, improving its ability to provide real-time intelligence. Today’s video analytics soft- ware can provide alerts of suspicious ac- tivity, such as a person abandoning a bag or backpack, signaling a possible bomb threat. Video analytics software can count people or detect if they are moving or grouping too tightly together, an action
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