Personal Alert Device Combats Hospital Violence

Cognosos, a developer of AI-powered asset tracking devices, has launched a new workplace duress device to combat rising instances of workplace violence in hospitals and health care facilities. 

The device, Cognosos Protect, works like a wearable panic button for staff. Once activated, it sends a distress signal allowing hospitals to locate the employee in danger in real time.  

The solution responds to the increased prevalence of violence towards health care workers, with research from Premier finding 40% of health care workers were exposed to workplace violence in the last two years. 

“Prolonged exposure to workplace violence puts employees at greater risk of developing mental health conditions… which negatively impacts worker productivity and increases turnover,” said Braxton Jarratt, Cognosos’ CEO. “Empowering hospitals with a campus-wide security solution is the first step toward fostering a culture of safety.

“From the time staff park and until they leave, Cognosos Protect helps hospitals protect the physical and mental wellbeing of employees regardless of their location at work.”     

In addition to the wearable duress button, Cognosos Protect includes a full incident management suite that integrates with existing security and communication infrastructure. 

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This incident management suite generates forensic reports with historical event insights, offering hospitals consistent insight into instances of violence, providing trend analysis and helping hospitals fine-tune responses. 

“Traditional staff duress solutions come with inefficient and slow-to-install infrastructure, as well as hefty price tags,” said Jarratt. “Cognosos Protect’s lightweight infrastructure allows hospitals to quickly reap the rewards of reducing workplace violence without undergoing lengthy installation projects that put patient rooms and hallways out of order and staff at risk.”