Metrasens, a provider of advanced detection systems for security and safety applications, has announced its progress in enhancing the safety and security of hospitals and healthcare centers throughout the US.

The company says that over the last six months, adoption of its technology has accelerated and more than 180 hospitals and healthcare centers are now working with Metrasens to leverage its technology.

Customers range from dedicated behavioral health centers to emergency department psychiatric units, rural independent hospitals, academic hospitals, children’s hospitals and large multi-site urban health systems. Each has its own individual approach to safety, often extending beyond the front door and protection from guns alone.

“Most security leaders and hospital executives we work with acknowledge the risks presented by guns and bladed weapons (knives, box cutters) and the corresponding need to increase the protection of their staff from these potential threats,” said Brian Solverson, Director of Healthcare Safety for Metrasens.

“Knives are a real threat that our customers face and are often a challenge because of how they can be easily concealed and elude detection from other technologies. We are fortunate to have technology that addresses these risks and puts safety first.”

Incidents involving other potential weapons are on the rise. In a study of a large urban healthcare system, researchers found that nearly 3% of emergency department visits resulted in the confiscation of weapons (10,691 weapons), with 67% being bladed weapons and 0.3% being guns.

Metrasens says that its customers are seeing results. One customer, a level 1 adult and pediatric trauma center with 500 beds, reported preventing over 2,500 risk items in the first five months of their deployment with the Metrasens Ultra system.

“What impressed us most about the Metrasens Ultra is its incredible flexibility and portability compared with other systems that either require costly facility renovations or require a much larger footprint to operate,” said Matthew Brinkman, System Senior Director, Security Services for Corewell Health – the largest employer in the state of Michigan. “Our leadership is happy with our evaluation and decision to add Metrasens Ultra into our security operations.”

“Metrasens has had the pleasure of working with great partners like Corewell Health and many others and take pride in the fact we are an important part of reducing their workplace violence incidents,” said Simon Goodyear, CEO of Metrasens. “It is humbling and inspiring to know that we can contribute to the safety and security of communities that do so much to ensure our safety as patients in their hospitals.”