Organizations in the healthcare industry, from neighborhood clinics to regional hospitals can benefit greatly from the use of technology. Given the skyrocketing costs of healthcare, any systems that help secure financial performance of operations is inherently critical. In addition, increased concern for personal security, as well as the need to protect physical and consumable assets continues to be a high priority in healthcare facilities. The use of paper-based time sheets to collect employee time attendance costs businesses dearly. - Inaccurate time recording by fellow co-workers - The time and effort to physically gather, and manually tally and audit time sheets - Computation errors occurring from simple key entry errors, transposing of numbers, and misreading of handwritten records The presence of a high level of non-employee traffic and the inventory of valuable equipment and sensitive materials. - High value medical equipment are vulnerable to tampering or theft by unauthorized individuals when not properly secured. - Inventories of pharmaceuticals and chemicals must be accurately protected to ensure that they do not fall into the wrong hands. The safety and well being of patient - As an organization in the “healing business,” it is imperative that healthcare facilities take the necessary precautions to protect their patients’ physical well being, as well as their privacy. Solutions iCrescendo offers systems that can solve challenges faced by healthcare organizations with the use of technology. Time and Attendance Automation The smart2K/bio biometric time and attendance terminal provides an affordable solution to organizations seeking to accurately automate their employee attendance data collection. Employees record their attendance using their fingerprint. By capturing 1,000 data points on each fingerprint, the biometric sensor authenticates an employee’s identity and presence at the workplace. Fingerprint verification further reduces operational costs by eliminating the need for cards and badges. The smart2K/bio package contains the necessary components to easily automate attendance data collection “right out of the box”, including the SmartWeb software to configure the terminal and manage user records. Collected attendance data can be fed into an ExcelTM spreadsheet or virtually any time and attendance software application. Companies using paper-based timesheets can gain significant cost savings from data collection automation. The American Payroll Association estimates that it takes on average 5 to 6 minutes to manually add and audit one employee's time card each pay period. When discrepancies occur, that time can magnify significantly. In addition, manual computation errors cost an average of 1 to 8 percent of a company’s gross payroll expense annually. Access Control Management The smart2K/bio can also serve as an access control terminal to secure premises from unauthorized individuals. Equipped with the most accurate biometric fingerprint reader in the market today, the smart2K/bio is encased in die-cast aluminum with a footprint of just 6 x 9 inches. The device is space-efficient yet durable enough to protect a door when it matters. Within this rugged exterior is a highly versatile terminal designed to meet the access control needs of any size facility. Optional card readers are available for those facilities using identity badges or cards for their operations. Biometric verification reduces administrative and material costs of keys and badge systems, and eliminates unauthorized access due to PIN sharing and lost badges or keys. The smart2K/bio package also includes the SmartWeb software to easily configure the terminal and manage user records. This browser-based administration software also allows for remote and multi-site deployment and management. Its open system design with XML support provides easy integration to run on Windows and non-Windows platforms. Digital Surveillance Digital surveillance cameras continuously monitor and record activity in sensitive areas. In addition to serving as a visible deterrent, surveillance systems provide the needed evidence to qualify and investigate incidents during and after they occur. Healthcare facilities can further reduce their liability and costs by more effectively managing incidents.