Palms West Hospital has added a new layer of security in their Maternity unit to help ensure the safety of its tiniest patients. The hospital recently installed the Hugs Infant Protection System from Xmark to safeguard their infants from the threat of abduction.

“Infant protection systems provide an effective deterrent against the abduction of infants” stated Susan Easlick, Director of Women’s Services. “The Hugs system has been configured to operate in a number of ways that readily support our existing security systems”.

Each infant wears a tiny tamper-proof, comfortable and unobtrusive Hugs tag. It weighs just 1/3 of an ounce and its rounded edges ensure that it does not pinch or irritate the infant.

Showing the Hugs and Kisses Security System is mom Kendra Blash-Smith with baby Londyn Janai’.

A computer console displays floor plans of the facility showing tag locations with monitored areas and doors indicated. Alarms are generated if the strap is cut or tampered with, if the infant is moved to an unauthorized zone, or if the tag’s signal is no longer detected.

Hugs tags enroll automatically when placed on an infant and are individually monitored. Each tag sends a status signal to the main console to confirm its presence and functionality. If a signal is not received within a designated period, an alarm will be generated. The system performs automatic self-checks on all components and advises staff of any problem.

“In the unlikely event of an attempted abduction, the Hugs system immediately informs the nursing staff precisely when and where the alarm has occurred”, says Susan Easlick. “This information is vital in ensuring a quick response during an abduction attempt.”

Each infant is uniquely identified within the system. Once activated, the only way to remove a bracelet without generating an alarm is with authorized procedures.

Palms West Hospital has also implemented the Kisses component of the Hugs system to provide automatic mother/infant matching notification. The Kisses tag looks like a watch and goes on the mother’s wrist. Each mother is given a Kisses tag that is bonded with her infant’s Hugs tag at birth. From that point forward, the tags remain bonded throughout their stay at the hospital. Combined with Hugs, it automatically alerts staff if the wrong baby is brought to a mother.

Palms West Hospital is dedicated to the safety and security of all patients, especially our newborns.