HID Acquires Intelligent Observation to Strengthen Its Healthcare RTLS Portfolio

HID, a worldwide leader in trusted identity solutions, has announced it has acquired Intelligent Observation, a leading platform provider for hand hygiene compliance, designed to enable healthcare facilities to reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) through proper hand hygiene practices. The addition of Intelligent Observation expands HID’s offering and relevance in the Healthcare RTLS space to further meet the growing needs of healthcare facilities.

“Patients enter the hospital looking to get better, not to catch an infection,” said Björn Lidefelt, EVP and Head of HID. “Welcoming Intelligent Observation into our RTLS portfolio enables healthcare providers to prevent hospital-acquired infections and create a safer patient experience.”

The Intelligent Observation platform includes hardware that detects when healthcare workers are near a hand sanitation area, and records whether the individual sanitises appropriately. The results are then communicated to Intelligent Observation’s cloud-based dashboard where data is stored and formulated into reports. The platform utilises SaaS and near-field magnetic induction (NFMI) technology, which enables efficient compliance reporting and tracking for hospital administrators.

The patented platform consists of wearable NFMI devices, which are worn by healthcare staff and offer centimetre-level location accuracy, as well as an interactive SaaS dashboard that provides near real-time, granular compliance data to healthcare administrators. For example, administrators can view data across facilities, at the facility level, and even view room-level compliance, including isolation rooms.

Provided information from the dashboard includes handwashing duration with soap and water, as well as easy-to-use infection tracing tools. Furthermore, the platform can generate individual hand hygiene scorecards that are delivered directly to the inbox of staff to self-monitor and inform employee training.

Marc Bielmann, SVP and Head of Identification Technologies, HID, said, “We are committed to providing a robust, best-in-class RTLS experience to help healthcare facilities meet their growing needs. Adding Intelligent Observation is yet another step in our journey to enabling safe and efficient workplaces using real-time location data.”

Founded in 2019 and headquartered in Miami, Florida, Intelligent Observation is now part of HID’s Identification Technologies Business Area. The Intelligent Observation platform will merge into HID’s RTLS Business Unit and benefit from HID’s sales and other global functions to support its offering.

“At Intelligent Observation, we are dedicated to reducing HAIs through innovative and intuitive technologies,” said Seth Freedman, CEO, Intelligent Observation. “Now, as part of HID, we are excited to continue this mission and help even more healthcare professionals where it matters most.”