Ease of access is vital in healthcare facilities and, increasingly, estates managers are opting for automated entrance solutions, which help to keep pedestrian traffic moving smoothly, avoiding bottlenecks at busy access points.

Simon Roberts, managing director at TORMAX, explains: “Such a wide range of individuals need to access healthcare facilities that it is essential to ensure everyone is made to feel welcome by providing clear and easy access. “If someone with mobility issues finds it difficult to manage the entrance doors into their local GP surgery, it may well cause them to postpone making an appointment, leading to poor health outcomes in the long run.

PICK AND CHOOSE

“Undoubtedly, the main entrance should be automated, ensuring everyone finds it easy to access the building. “However, it is no good being able to get into the reception if you than have to struggle with multiple sets of unwieldy manual swing doors in order to reach your destination, so automated internal doors should also be specified.” Modern automatic door solutions are available in a number of designs, including:

• Sliding doors: These open by sliding to the side, which creates a wide doorway without requiring an excessive amount of space elsewhere in the room
• Swing doors: Automatic swing doors operate in exactly the same way as conventional swing doors, with the exception that they open and close by themselves
• Revolving doors: Frequently utilised in high-traffic locations where people need to enter and exit at the same time, these have the ability to minimise energy expenses and help to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature
• Folding doors: Also known as bifold doors, these fold inward and outward like an accordion and are popular as a space-saving solution
• Telescopic doors: These are automatic doors that contain many panels that glide over each other in order to open and close. They are frequently used in areas with restricted space and entrances that are narrow
• Hermetic doors: These are designed for use in situations that require a high degree of hygiene control, such as hospitals, laboratories, and food processing factories. These types of environments require a hermetic seal between the inside and outside of the building and the doors create a barrier that is impermeable to air, which stops the spread of any contaminants And all options have several key benefits over traditional manual solutions, including:

• Offering ease of access for the disabled, elderly, and infirm
• Increasing the rate of admission and exit
• Enabling quicker access to critical areas such as A&E or operating theatres
• Enhancing safety as there is little-to-no risk of being struck or trapped by the door or having fingers trapped

BATTLING THE BUGS

But one additional benefit which makes the solutions particularly attractive to the healthcare sector is their role in supporting infection prevention and control regimes. Providing a ‘no-touch’ option, they can significantly reduce the spread of germs between different areas within a building, so are the go-to option for high-risk areas such as intensive care units and operating theatres.

A spokesman for DRS Doors said: “In light of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining the greatest degree of sanitation is even more crucial; and one of the simplest methods to do so is by installing automatic doors. “Because these doors are generally composed of glass and aluminium, cleaning them is easier. “Furthermore, these doors may be simply connected with wave sensors or activators to take the zero-contact approach a step further, eliminating the need for staff to open doors manually, limiting the viral spread through direct contact, and improving overall cleanliness.”

A SOUND INVESTMENT

Also adding to their popularity within the healthcare sector is their green credentials. Specifying an automated system, with programmable opening times, can reduce heat loss from a building. Roberts said: “With heating bills set to rise even further, an automatic entrance is a sound financial investment for the healthcare industry. “Not only do our door drives feature low-energy operation, but an automatic entrance can itself significantly help reduce heat loss from a building. “Sophisticated movement sensors combine with straight-forward, two-key programming to allow the opening and closing speed, hold-open time, and opening width to be altered to match how busy the access point is at any time of the day, as well as to reflect the outside weather conditions. “Used efficiently, these entrances will significantly improve the ambient temperature, as well as helping to cut energy bills.”

ASK THE RIGHT QUESTIONS

When choosing a solution, he warns against considering the purchase price alone, instead advising specifiers to look at long-term costs. He told hdm: “Cost is always going to be a factor, especially in public sector buildings. “But we need to be asking how energy efficient are the door operators? What are their green credentials with regards to sustainability? How reliable are they and what back-up and support is offered in the way of service, maintenance, and emergency call-out? “A Planned Maintenance Contract can significantly save money in the long-run, ensuring an entrance system is serviced regularly and reducing the risk of unexpected downtime. “Also, during a routine service a small defect may be picked up that can be quickly and cheaply repaired, before more-costly or permanent damage is done. “It is worth noting that clients do not always have to use the company that installs their automatic entrance to provide a maintenance contract, so my advice is to shop around for the best deal.”

A MUST-HAVE

Opting for a modular system can also benefit healthcare facilities, as these allow for access points to be quickly upgraded if demands change and this reduces the likelihood of an entrance becoming obsolete in the future. The DRS Doors spokesman adds: “Despite the initial investment, installing automated doors may actually save public organisations money in the long run, opening and shutting only when needed to help to reduce heat loss. “Simply put, it aids in covering the installation costs by lowering utility expenses. “In addition, automatic doors are extremely dependable, simple to maintain, long-lasting, and cost-effective and all of these characteristics combine to make them a must-have in every healthcare facility.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Because of this increased interest from the health sector, manufacturers are spending a great deal of time and money on R&D to further improve automatic access solutions. And Roberts predicts this will include the more-widespread introduction of individualised access, such as iris scanning and facial recognition technology. He said: “Other touchless access methods, like phone-activated access, will help improve security throughout a hospital, helping ensure only those authorised can gain entrance to a specific area. “I think we will also see even-slimmer casings for door operators, for neater and more-aesthetic installations and widespread use of hidden door operators, such as the TORMAX iMotion 1401, which is concealed in a steel casing under the floor. “In addition, there will be advances in access control software to allow muchmore- complex parameters to be linked, such as user identification, personalised access times and access points, emergency door locking, and fire safety responses.”

www.tormax.co.uk

www.drsdoors.com