Timothy Wallerich

Title : Implementing duress alarms using blu-fi technology in a large-scale hospital setting

Abstract:

Workplace violence in the healthcare setting has become a pandemic within a pandemic.  Incidents of physical violence against healthcare workers by both patients and visitors has increased exponentially.  Nurses are reporting that they are often afraid to care for their patients or approach visitors, and many are considering leaving the profession due to their fears.  Keeping staff safe in the hospital and providing a sense of security so they can focus on caring for the patient has become a top priority for hospital security and leadership.

Using the latest technology to help ensure staff safety, we are implementing a silent duress alarm system using BluFi^TM technology and HID badges equipped with silent alarms.  Activation of the badge silently alerts the security command center to dispatch officers to the exact location of the staff member using Real Time Location System beacons.  An alert is simultaneously sent to coworkers who are present on the unit, all creating an immediate response for assistance.  Technology, approximate cost, planning, education, and implementation strategies will be shared along with metrics demonstrating utilization. 

Biography:

Mr. Wallerich received his Bachelor of Nursing degree from South Dakota State University in 1997 and his master’s in business administration from the University of Phoenix in 2001. He began his career as a Registered Nurse at Mayo Clinic Arizona in 1998 and transferred to Mayo Clinic Rochester in 2002.  While in Rochester, Mr. Wallerich has held the role of Health System Engineer for 19 years, leading multiple projects in quality improvement, systems engineering, and IT systems implementations, in addition to providing consulting services at the Enterprise level.  Mr. Wallerich is currently a Performance Improvement Advisor for the Hospital Safety Pillar focusing on staff safety initiatives in response to workplace violence.  Outside of Mayo Clinic, Mr. Wallerich is a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician in his hometown of Wabasha Minnesota, a member of the Wabasha City Council, and Chair of the Wabasha Planning Commission