Patient safety devices, security of premises and attendance management of employees for a therapeutic day care centre

Abstract

International audienceThe "Soins et Santé" (Care & Health) association is non-profit medical structure. Its mission is to maintain and improve the quality of life for patients at home. The structure is divided into three services: a care centre providing home care or institutional care, a department of nursing at home for the elderly which provides care for people over 60 years dependent and / or chronically ill, and a therapeutic day care center for old people with cognitive disabilities living at home. This helps people to maintain social links, by stimulating therapeutic activities adapted to slow down the effects of the disease and also relieve the family by providing periods of respite. The therapeutic day care offers many activities such as memory, gymnastics, gardening, and multi-sensory stimulation workshops to help patients find their way into space and maintain their independence. Within the medical and social structures, directors have the duty to organize the safety of patients they serve. If damage is caused to a patient and results from carelessness or negligence of staff or access to unsuitable premises, the responsibility of the head of institution is directly engaged. To assure this surveillance, some structures make use of wireless systems. Demented patients carry with them a device (jewelry, bracelet, pendant...) that causes an alarm on detection of the patient in a non-authorized zone. However, every act of assistance that may be offered even to a cognitive impaired person has to be done with the full consent of the person. Therefore "Soins et Santé" association has chosen to implement technical solutions enabling the secure monitoring of patients through indirect control of the employees. A disposal for patient safety has been established for simultaneously securing sensitive premises (offices, treatment rooms and utensils and care products storage places) and the timetable attendance of the employees. The goal is to allow safe and non-controlled natural ambulation of the patients, respecting their integrity, and thus defending the values of respect for the human person. The use of proximity card readers now combines convenience and traceability. The project was custom made in collaboration with Legrand, the worldwide electrical building infrastructure manufacturer. With the new system, monitoring of staff and establishment of forms of activity is continuous and automatic, thus freeing the staff of a heavy workload with benefit for the patients