SCH adds new security system to Labor and Delivery

Stephens County Hospital’s Marketing Director Samantha Rickman announced Thursday that the hospital’s Labor and Delivery Department has purchased and installed the Safe Place system, by RFD Technologies.

Safe Place is an infant security system that prevents unauthorized persons from entering the labor and delivery department, it also prevents newborns from being abducted from the department.

The improvement comes as a recent strategy to improve patient satisfaction, safety and care.

Labor and Delivery Department Head Becky Chambers, told WNEG News about the benefits and safety the new system provides to newborns and their families.

“We started looking at different companies last summer, we interviewed three companies, and we liked [RFD Technologies] the best. It wasn’t the cheapest one, but it was the one we liked the best and fit our needs the best. We purchased it in March and they came and installed it and we started using it on our babies and right now our entire unite is locked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; and unless you have a code, you can’t get it,” Chambers said.

The new system includes a number of improvements the previous system lacked.

One of which, is if a person attempts to adjust, cut, or remove the baby’s ankle monitor an alarm will sound and the doors will lock.

Chambers added that the community should find comfort in the added security.

“We want [the community] to feel safe, and know that no one will try to take their baby. If anyone tries to adjust the monitor an alarm will go off and the doors will lock,” Chambers said.

NICU Nurse Angela Welborn told WNEG News that this assures parents and hospital staff that the department is safe.

“It’s just a nice feeling to know that we have a good system in place that keeps our babies safe, because that’s our main priority here,” Welborn said.

For questions regarding the new Safe Place security system contact Rickman at 706-282-4491.