BROOKINGS – To assist with safety screening during the COVID-19 pandemic, Brookings Health System recently deployed infrared temperature check tablets at the main entrances for Brookings Hospital and The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home.
“The temperature check tablets allow us to staff fewer employees at the entrances and yet successfully screen patients for symptoms of COVID-19 according to CDC guidelines,” said Rehab Director Gavin Weber who has led Brookings Health’s mandatory screening efforts throughout the pandemic. “Using a stoplight method with an audible alert, the tablets immediately notify our entrance staff if a patient is safe to enter the facility.”
Using an advanced algorithm, the tablets detect and calculate heat signatures from a human face. If a person entering the facility has a high temperature or is not wearing a face covering, the tablet indicators will turn red and an alarm will sound. The tablet indicators will turn green for persons wearing a face covering and whose temperature is in an acceptable range.
All individuals entering Brookings Health System’s facilities, including team members, are screened for COVID-19 symptoms. The health system also asks all individuals to wear a face covering, to maintain 6-foot social distances and to follow all infection control guidelines, including proper hand hygiene.
More information about Brookings Health System’s response to COVID-19 and efforts to ensure safety can be found online at brookingshealth.org/COVID.
