London, June 2024 – In hospitals, health centres, clinics and other medical buildings, the small spaces often need as much care as large areas. Yet while traditional mechanical keys can cure the problem of medicine and equipment security, this may come at the cost of time- or operational efficiency.

 In a busy hospital ward, keys are easy to misplace. Mechanical locking cannot log who accesses each opening, and when. Nurses either take on this laborious task for themselves or medicine managers surrender some control over access. Auditing drug discrepancies or investigating incidents becomes more difficult.

Just like any sensitive opening, in any building, the risks and costs of a security breach or unauthorized access can be great.

“Managing the security of additional access points mechanically, outside the scope of a digital access system, increases risk, complexity and workload,” says Lars Angelin, Business Development Manager at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA.

Fixing the pain-points of healthcare access control

The drawbacks of many mechanical solutions can get in the way of medical care. Often multiple staff need access at different times in a setting where 24/7 operation is standard practice. Searching for the right key or keyholder causes delays, wasting nursing staff time. All keys in circulation must be logged and monitored, for medicine safety or to ensure patient belongings are safe in bedside cabinets. If keys go missing, locks must be changed, which costs time and money. Hassle and headaches multiply if a master-key is lost.

Digital access seems an obvious solution. Yet such settings often have many points where typical wired access cannot reach. These may be mobile, like Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (EPMA) carts. Cylinder sizes may be small with non-standard cam-types, as on bedside cabinets or medicine storage.

“Instead, choosing digital access – traceable, flexible, convenient – with the Aperio^® KL100 Wireless Cabinet Lock brings many more access points under the control of the digital system,” explains Angelin. “These important openings are managed from one integrated software interface and offer the same level of control as any other digital access device.”

Traceable digital locking for every medical cabinet, cupboard or trolley

The robust, road-tested, battery powered Aperio KL100 makes cabinets, EPMA carts, medicine drawers and almost any other any small opening an integral part of a digital access system. An adjustable cam makes it a straightforward retrofit solution for patient-accessed medication or “POD” lockers and bedside cupboards. This digital device also consumes very little energy: Powered by one battery, it only “wakes up” when a credential is presented and needs no specialist maintenance.

In line with the rest of the Aperio range, the KL100 brings added flexibility over physical keys. It is compatible with smartcards and fobs using all major RFID technologies, as well as smartphone unlocking via Bluetooth LE and NFC. The device can accept multiple credential technologies simultaneously, in parallel, so security managers can roll out mobile keys at their own pace, or to appropriate employees only.

“Medical personnel get access tailored precisely to their need or authority,” adds Angelin. “Nurses don’t waste time looking for the keyholder. Pharmacists and medicine managers always know who has accessed medical storage. Facilities managers simply delete a missing credential from the system. It takes a couple of clicks, not a major changing of locks, to restore security. For all these users, the KL100 takes away the pain of secure access.”

Easy hardware integration for greater efficiency and convenience

The Aperio KL100 is designed for seamless integration with any new or existing access control system — from over 100 different manufacturers and counting. Existing user credentials do not need to be replaced.

A KL100 may be connected Online, Offline or via OSS compliant integration — and switched between them at any time. Online management enables real-time control over every KL100 lock, with easy access rights administration and instant availability of audit trails for any opening or user — which makes incident investigation fast and accurate.

The Aperio family of award-winning, energy-efficient digital access devices includes cylinders, escutcheons, handles, security locks, server rack locks and more. With a low-profile design and road-tested reliability, a KL100 is the flexible choice for securing any medical site’s sensitive, personal or mobile small spaces.

To learn more about deploying the Aperio^® KL100 in hospitals and other medical settings, visit https://assaabloy.com/emeia-blueprint/market-product-assets/aperio/assets/documents/brochures-and-flyers/AA_Aperio_KL100_Healthcare_EN_web.pdf

London, June 2024 – Kelly Gill, Chief Technology Officer at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions EMEIA, discusses the critical role of mechanical technology as an enabler for the latest innovations in digital access.

 A rapid process of digitalization in access and security technologies is underway. But electronics are not a replacement for – but a complement to – robust, secure, trusted mechanical design.

Growing demand for convenience, connectivity and new functionality continuously extends the power and level of choice in access devices. Digitalization is a key enabler of more comfortable and tailored access solutions in both residential and commercial buildings.

Yet the necessity for innovations in mechanical design remains as great as ever. Why? Because all new digital locking functionality must be backed up by intelligently designed, secure mechanical elements. It is not the electronics that keep a door bolt in position, but rather the lock’s physical components.

Convenience and security work together

The digital components of many ASSA ABLOY solutions are designed to enhance usability and convenience. For example, they replace the need to carry a heavy keychain by providing a programmable credential – card, key or smartphone – which can unlock several openings. In the event of a lost a key or card, the digital element enables easy disabling of those access rights, eliminating the need to replace keys and cylinders. This saves management costs, time and hassle.

But to be fully effective, every digital locking device requires the electronics and mechanical security to work in tandem. If the mechanical part of the lock is flawed, the door can be opened regardless of its digital security. This is where access providers with a strong heritage in mechanical manufacturing have the edge in our rapidly digitalizing market. Many components within a digital access device are and will remain mechanical. Authentication and authorization will continue transitioning to digital, clearly, but internal mechanics must keep the door locked and the space secure.

An additional convenience benefit, digitalization also enables seamless integration with complementary products and solutions: in a domestic setting, with smart doorbells, security cameras and intruder alarms; in the workplace, with a range of business-critical systems from time-and-attendance software to complex smart building management systems.

This interaction between digital and mechanical technology is fundamental in future-proofing homes and businesses – far beyond just their security.

Standards in mechanical and digital security

Agreed standards help customers make an informed decision. They provide a scale to make comparisons – for example, from high to low security needs. As a long-time industry leader, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions takes an active part in driving independent standards to a higher level, to ensure customers have access devices with mechanical and digital components which deserve their trust. Our in-house testing labs push every device and component to its limit, long before it ever reaches the market.

A growing focus on security standards is also evident in the realm of IoT devices, where data breaches and cyber-attacks are increasingly common and potentially costly. In 2023, IBM estimated the average cost to a business of a data breach at more than 4m EUR^*.

In response to increased risk, supra-national regulators such as the European Union have begun promoting more robust cybersecurity measures, including to regulate the security of all products with digital components. Very soon, companies which want to sell into the EU market must show that their product meets basic cybersecurity requirements. PSTI has been introduced in UK law to set security standards for IoT devices.

This higher profile for standards will help ASSA ABLOY and our industry peers to better communicate security benefits, risks and best practices. A commitment to developing secure products, both their mechanical and digital elements, is quickly repaid by customer peace of mind.

All over the world customers rely on ASSA ABLOY – whether that’s the new Tekirdağ City Hospital which needed a large mechanical master-key system for multiple types of locking point^**; or Helsinki Airport selecting digital solutions for doors and cabinets to integrate with existing access management software^***.

Experience gained in designing and manufacturing mechanical solutions for all types of application is an essential ingredient. It fosters and supports the digital innovation that customers increasingly rely on.