All-in-One: Integrating Personal Safety, Nurse Call, and Asset Tracking

Three Functions in One: Personal Safety, Nurse Call, and Asset Tracking

Originally published in Turvallisuus & Riskienhallinta (Security & Risk Management) Magazine 4/2021

The personal safety solution developed by 9Solutions Ltd is an innovative Finnish solution designed to summon help quickly in threatening situations. It has been adopted by approximately 1,500 City of Jyväskylä employees, who now carry locating safety buttons. The solution was delivered to the city by Loihde Trust. While versatile, the system is most widely used across the social and healthcare sectors.

"To date, the largest installation has been carried out at the Central Finland Health Care District's new Hospital Nova in Jyväskylä. Over two years, 13,000 devices—including patient nurse call buttons and asset tracking tags—have been installed," says Sami Herrala, CEO of 9Solutions Ltd.

One System, Triple the Benefit

The system performs three critical functions required in hospital and various other environments: personal safety, nurse calls, and asset tracking. "At Hospital Nova, the system tracks several thousand devices, starting from hospital beds. Maintenance and management become significantly easier when the location of equipment is constantly known," Herrala describes.

Herrala considers the integration of nurse calls essential in a hospital setting. "Calls and alarms travel through the same sensor infrastructure," he notes. "The system is entirely cloud-based, so there is no need to install local servers or other expensive hardware on-site."

Integrating with Dozens of Systems In new hospital projects, the 9Solutions solution is typically integrated with up to 16 other systems, including building automation, patient information systems (HIS), and production control systems. This allows technical staff to locate a device immediately when it is time for maintenance. It also interfaces with nearly all Finnish emergency response centers. "If a room has a camera, a guard can see live footage the moment an alarm is triggered to see what is actually happening," Herrala mentions.

From Hospitals to Museums In Jyväskylä, the wireless security system has expanded beyond the hospital to other city services, including youth work, culture and sports services, libraries, museums, school welfare, and for lone workers like trail maintenance crews.

The Foundation: A Locating Sensor Network

The system is based on a locating sensor network installed within buildings, with sensor antennas typically placed in the ceiling every ten meters. Safety buttons—worn on the wrist, clothing, or elsewhere—continuously send a signal that identifies the button and allows for real-time location calculation.

"The sensor network collecting the data calculates the real-time position of all safety buttons. We know exactly where every button is moving inside the building. In other words, real-time tracking continues even after an alarm is triggered, which is vital if a person in distress moves to another room," Herrala explains.

He adds that help can be summoned discreetly, even from a pocket. The network receives the alarm and its location, then forwards it to colleagues, guards, or security companies based on pre-defined rules. "Typically, a hospital guard has an app on their smartphone that shows exactly who is calling for help and where they are located."

According to Herrala, real-time location data is what sets 9Solutions apart from traditional systems. "Traditional mobile apps typically only tell you the general area an alarm came from—like 'Ward 3.' But that information doesn't update if the person moves."

Safety for Lone Workers

For those working alone, the system includes a "man-down" or "dead man's switch," where the user confirms at regular intervals that they are okay. If they fail to acknowledge, an alarm is sent automatically.

Herrala notes that the positioning also works outside the fixed sensor network. Through a mobile app, the same safety button can pair with a smartphone via Bluetooth. "In the hospital or any networked area, alarms travel via the sensor network. Outside that network, the smartphone app forwards alarms via the cellular network. The system determines the location based on the phone's GPS data, providing a specific address or map coordinates," Herrala says.

While GPS cannot pinpoint an exact apartment inside a high-rise (as signals don't penetrate thick structures), users can manually enter their specific location or apartment number into the 9Solutions mobile app before entering, ensuring responders know exactly where to go in an emergency.