Top 5 Hospital Security Systems for Patient Safety

Hospitals must stay accessible to patients and families while protecting staff, visitors, and sensitive clinical areas. Yet recent 2026 data shows that security risks inside healthcare facilities remain significant.

According to a June 2026 National Nurses United survey:

• 84.8% of nurses reported experiencing at least one form of workplace violence in the previous year.
• 70.3% said they had been verbally threatened.
• 36.4% reported that workplace violence in their unit had increased.
• Only 35.5% said staff were always available to respond to violent incidents.

These numbers show why CCTV cameras, paper visitor logs, and manual sign-ins alone are not enough for modern healthcare environments.

Today’s hospital security systems bring together visitor management systems for hospitals, access control, visitor screening, watchlists, emergency response tools, and digital audit records to strengthen patient and staff safety.

This guide compares five leading hospital security systems based on their security capabilities, compliance support, integrations, scalability, and suitability for different healthcare environments.

What are the Top 5 Hospital Security Systems for Patient Safety?

The top 5 hospital security systems for patient safety are:

• Visitly
• Sign In App (SwipedOn, The Receptionist, Sign In Solutions)
• Envoy
• Eptura
• FacilityOS

Hospitals need more than CCTV to protect patients. This section covers the top 5 hospital security systems, highlighting features that ensure safety, compliance, and operational efficiency.

1. Visitly

What it is:

Visitly is a modern, iPad-based visitor management system built for secure, smart check-ins.

For healthcare, Visitly streamlines check-ins by replacing paper logs with a digital workflow that supports your HIPAA program and requires no app for visitors. Visitly is HIPAA compliant and includes a HIPAA BAA on every plan.
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Key hospital security features to highlight:

• Health Screening Questions — Screen all visitors, contractors, and staff for symptoms or risk factors before they enter.
• Watchlist Alerts — Flag specific individuals or entry criteria; instant alerts are sent to security staff or hosts the moment a watchlist rule is triggered.
• Visitor Approvals — Approve or deny entry at check-in; unauthorized visitors are stopped before they access patient areas.
• ID Badge Printing — Customized badges with photo, timestamp, host name, and purpose of visit; visual identification across the facility.
• Pre-registration — Bulk visitor pre-registration of expected visitors (family groups, vendor delegations, contractor teams); reduce lobby congestion and admin workload.
• Evacuation & Emergency Management — Real-time emergency evacuation alerts displayed on all devices; live visitor list accessible to floor staff; new entries blocked during active emergencies.
• HIPAA Support: Visitly is HIPAA compliant, includes a HIPAA BAA on every plan, and supports your HIPAA program; visitor data stored on AWS servers (USA); GDPR-compliant for global facilities.
• Integrations — Lenel Onguard, S2 Netbox, Brivo, Slack, Microsoft Entra ID, Webhooks for custom integrations with hospital IT and PACS infrastructure.
• Digital document signing — Visitors sign NDAs, infection control acknowledgments, or safety orientation agreements at check-in.

Best for: Hospitals and healthcare facilities with 100+ beds seeking a scalable, easy-to-deploy automated visitor management system with robust compliance and real-time security controls.

Ratings: 4.7 on Capterra, G2, and GetApp. SOC 2 compliant.

2. Sign In App (SwipedOn, The Receptionist, Sign In Solutions)

What it is:

Sign In App is sold by Sign In Solutions, which also owns SwipedOn and The Receptionist. SwipedOn is now sold as Sign In App, and The Receptionist's customers are moving onto it. SwipedOn's visitor and employee management is used in aged care and health facilities globally, with health screening and contact tracing as core capabilities.

Key hospital security features:

• Health screening questionnaires with configurable yes/no flows; trigger an alert to the health & safety manager on failure.
• Contact tracing with time-stamped entry/exit records
• ID badge printing for authorized visitor identification
• Evacuation management with on-site headcount support
• GDPR-compliant visitor data handling
• Customizable sign-in flows by visitor type (healthcare worker, resident, contractor)

Sign In App vs. Visitly: on Sign In App, ID scanning starts on the Enhanced plan ($1,260 per site per year), and SSO and SCIM on Pro ($1,890). Sign In App offers to sign a BAA. Visitly includes SSO, the audit log and a HIPAA BAA on every plan, and adds watchlist screening on Business.

Best for: Aged care facilities and smaller healthcare settings needing straightforward health screening and contact tracing.

Using SwipedOn or The Receptionist today? Sign In App is moving those customers onto its own plans, and your renewal is when you choose where to go. See how a switch to Visitly works.

3. Envoy

What it is:

Envoy is a comprehensive workplace management platform used by hospital systems such as Howard University Hospital and Dignity Health. It combines visitor management, emergency notifications, digital signage, and space management in a unified platform.

Key hospital security features:

• Pre-registration, multi-step visitor approvals, blocklists, and time-bound access
• Multi-channel emergency notifications (SMS, email, Slack/Teams, on-site screens) with acknowledgment tracking
• Digital signage for safety instructions and emergency alerts in lobbies and waiting rooms
• Integrations with access control systems (Genetec, LenelS2, Brivo, Kisi) and identity providers (Okta, Azure Entra)
• HIPAA, HITECH, OSHA, and Joint Commission compliance support

Envoy vs. Visitly: Envoy handles complex operations for enterprise hospitals, while Visitly offers similar security features with quicker deployment and app-free check-in.

Best for: Large hospital systems and multi-site healthcare networks that need integrated emergency communications alongside visitor management.

4. Eptura

What it is:

Eptura is a facility management platform for healthcare environments, offering visitor and space management capabilities with a focus on asset tracking and workplace utilization.

Key hospital security features:

• Visitor check-in and access tracking
• Space management and occupancy visibility across hospital departments
• Asset and maintenance management for medical equipment
• Integration with workplace and building systems

Eptura vs. Visitly: Eptura’s healthcare security features are part of a broader facility management suite rather than purpose-built for visitor security and patient safety. Health screening, watchlists, and HIPAA-specific compliance are not core differentiators.

Best for: Hospital facility teams that need combined space, asset, and visitor management on a single platform.

5. FacilityOS

What it is:

FacilityOS, formerly iLobby, is a modular enterprise platform trusted by organizations such as Mayo Clinic and Baptist Health. It covers visitor management (VisitorOS), emergency management (EmergencyOS), contractor compliance (ContractorOS), and physical access control (SecurityOS) under one roof.

Key hospital security features:

• Visitor screening with health attestations, restricted unit access, and audit-ready visit histories
• Contractor compliance management: insurance verification, background checks, certification tracking, and HIPAA orientation at check-in
• Emergency digital mustering, code response drills, evacuation management, and roll calls
• PIAM (Physical Identity & Access Management) for time-bound access to clinical zones, pharmacies, and ORs
• Compliance with Joint Commission, CMS, OSHA, HIPAA, NFPA, SOC 2 Type 2
• Claim: 90% reduction in vendor/visitor check-in processing time

FacilityOS vs. Visitly: FacilityOS targets large-scale hospital systems with advanced features and higher costs. Visitly delivers core visitor security with faster deployment, suitable for facilities of all sizes.

Best for: Large multi-site hospital systems with dedicated security and compliance teams managing complex contractor and vendor ecosystems.

Which Hospital Visitor Management Software Offers the Best ROI?

What Are the Core Components of a Hospital Security System?

Hospital security involves more than monitoring entrances or installing cameras. Healthcare facilities need multiple security layers that work together to control access, identify risks, protect sensitive areas, and help staff respond quickly when an incident occurs.

A complete hospital security system may include:

• Visitor management: Screens, approves, badges, and tracks visitors, vendors, and contractors.
• Access control system: Restricts entry to areas such as pharmacies, operating rooms, laboratories, data centers, and staff-only zones.
• Video surveillance: Helps security teams monitor entrances, hallways, parking areas, and other high-risk locations.
• Duress and panic alarms: Allow staff to quickly request assistance during threatening or violent situations.
• Emergency notifications: Send alerts and instructions during lockdowns, evacuations, security incidents, or other emergencies.
• Identity and badge management: Helps distinguish authorized staff, contractors, and visitors.
• Incident reporting: Creates records that security teams can review to identify recurring risks and improve response procedures.

OSHA specifically identifies controlled access, video surveillance, panic buttons, and other security measures as potential controls for workplace violence risks in hospitals.

The best approach is therefore not to depend on a single security tool, but to connect visitor management with access control, surveillance, emergency response, and hospital security policies.

How Does a Hospital Visitor Management System Work?‍

A hospital visitor management system creates a controlled process for determining who can enter the facility, where they can go, and how long they remain on-site.

A typical hospital visitor workflow includes:

1. Pre-registration: Patients or hospital staff can register expected family members, vendors, contractors, or other visitors before arrival.
2. Check-in: The visitor provides required identification and visit information at a kiosk, tablet, or reception desk.
3. Identity verification and screening: The system can verify visitor information and check applicable watchlists or facility restrictions.
4. Approval: Hospital staff or security personnel can approve or deny access based on the visitor's purpose and destination.
5. Badge issuance: Approved visitors receive a time-limited badge identifying where they are permitted to go.
6. Access control: Integrated systems can restrict visitors to approved areas instead of giving them unrestricted movement throughout the hospital.
7. Real-time tracking: Security teams maintain a current record of visitors signed into the facility.
8. Check-out: The system records when the visitor leaves and preserves the visit history for security reviews or audits.

What Should You Look for in a Hospital Visitor Management System?

Not every visitor management software is built for the demands of a healthcare environment. Before you invest, make sure the system you choose checks every one of these boxes:

• HIPAA compliance: documented and certified, not just a vague "data security" claim
• Customizable health screening questions: tailored to your infection control and ward-specific security standards and safety protocols
• Watchlist alerts: instant, automated flagging, not a passive log you check after the fact
• No app download for visitors: zero friction for patients' families, guests, and vendors
• Real-time host notifications via Teams, Slack, or SMS tools your staff already use
• Pre-registration and bulk upload: essential for high-volume visiting hours and vendor delegations
• Emergency evacuation support: live headcount, blocked new entries, real-time alerts on all devices
• Access control and HR integrations: Microsoft Entra ID, Okta, SSO, and existing hospital IT systems
• Audit-ready data exports: formatted for Joint Commission, CMS, and NABH accreditation requirements
• Multi-location scalability: manage multiple wards, buildings, or campuses from one dashboard
  

Closing Thoughts

Hospital security systems are no longer optional; they are a direct requirement for patient safety, regulatory compliance, and operational continuity. The right choice depends on your facility’s size, compliance needs, existing IT stack, and budget.

For large enterprise hospital networks with complex multi-site contractor ecosystems, FacilityOS or Envoy is worth evaluating. For aged care and smaller clinics, Sign In App (which now sells SwipedOn) publishes per-site prices from $630 a year.

But for hospitals that need purpose-built visitor security, HIPAA compliance documentation, fast deployment, and proven reliability, Visitly is the clear choice.

It is the only platform in this comparison that combines healthcare-grade security, SOC 2 Type 2 certification, real-time watchlist alerts, and emergency evacuation support, all deployable on an iPad with a basic setup in under an hour, with no app download required for visitors.

Ready to secure your facility?

Talk to sales to see Visitly at your facilities.

FAQs

What is a hospital security system?

A hospital security system is the set of controls that decides who can enter a facility and what happens when something goes wrong. It usually combines access control on doors, video surveillance, visitor management at entrances, duress or panic alarms for staff, and infant protection on maternity units, monitored from a security operations desk.

Where does visitor management fit in hospital security?

Visitor management covers the people the other systems do not know: anyone without a staff badge. It identifies each visitor, screens them against the hospital's watchlist, issues a badge for a specific unit and time, and records the visit. Access control then enforces the doors, and video provides the evidence if an incident occurs.

What does OSHA expect hospitals to do about workplace violence?

OSHA has no dedicated workplace violence standard for hospitals. It cites employers under the General Duty Clause and publishes prevention guidelines for healthcare. Those guidelines list engineering controls such as controlled access, alarm systems and panic buttons. Some states add their own rules, so the hospital's safety lead or counsel confirms what applies.

How do hospital visitor management vendors compare on price?

List prices differ widely, and screening is often on a higher plan. Visitly includes watchlist and photo ID screening at $2,000 per location per year. Envoy Premium is $362 per location per month billed annually, with blocklists and ID scanning on Envoy Enterprise. Eptura Visitor is quote only. Prices as of Q4 2026.

Can one visitor management platform cover a multi-site hospital system?

Yes. A multi-location platform applies one set of visitor policies and one audit log across every campus, while each site keeps its own entrances and badge rules. Visitly manages all locations from a central console with location-specific settings. Confirm with any vendor that a watchlist entry made at one hospital applies at the others.

Where should a hospital start when upgrading entrance security?

Start with a walk of every entrance, including loading docks and contractor doors, and note which ones record who comes in. Rank the gaps by the units they lead to, such as emergency, maternity and pharmacy. Fix identification and screening at those entrances first, then connect visitor records to access control and video.