Overview
Settore: Sanità pubblica
Area di intervento: Pronto Soccorso e reparti ad alto rischio
Prodotto: SafeER (modulo YouWorkforce)
Tecnologia: Beacon indoor, smartwatch, app centrale operativa
Riferimento normativo: Legge n. 113/2020 — tutela operatori sanitari
SafeER is the healthcare worker safety system developed by YouCo as part of YouWorkforce. It combines wearable devices (smartwatches and smartphones) with an indoor localization infrastructure based on beacons, enabling workers to request assistance in real time and the operations center to intervene—via direct call or alert on a dedicated app—with the user’s exact position on the floor plan.
This case study describes the implementation of SafeER within the Emergency Department and wards of a major Italian public hospital, launched in response to documented episodes of assault on healthcare personnel.
The problem: assaults in the ward and regulatory obligation
In Italy, the Emergency Department is the hospital area with the highest rate of assaults on personnel. According to the National Observatory on the Safety of Healthcare and Social-Healthcare Professionals (Ministry of Health), assaults on healthcare workers represent one of the main occupational risks in the sector. Law No. 113 of August 14, 2020 introduced specific protective measures, including the obligation for healthcare facilities to adopt concrete tools for risk prevention and management.
The hospital had recorded recurring episodes of verbal and physical assault against healthcare personnel, particularly in the Emergency Department areas—the most exposed context due to high traffic, tension, and unpredictability of admissions. The problem was not only the frequency of episodes, but the absence of an operational tool to manage them: personnel did not have a direct channel to request assistance immediately and silently. Response times from security services depended on the worker’s ability to verbally communicate their position—which, during an assault, is often impossible.
The operational challenges were threefold
Reduce the time between the onset of danger and the arrival of assistance
Locate the worker inside the building in real time, without manual searches
Cover involuntary events (falls, illness) as well, not just declared assaults
The solution: beacon infrastructure on ED and ward + SafeER on smartwatch
YouCo designed and implemented an indoor localization infrastructure based on beacons, installed extensively in the Emergency Department areas and involved wards. The beacons cover corridors, examination rooms, waiting areas, and service zones—ensuring worker localization at every point in the facility, even where GPS signal is unavailable. Each worker is equipped with a smartwatch with SafeER active. The device is always worn, requires no continuous interaction, and activates only when needed.
The hospital’s security operations center receives every alert in real time, with visualization of the worker’s position on the building floor plan. The operations center operator can respond through two channels: direct call to the device of the worker in distress, or alert on a dedicated app to coordinate the intervention of security personnel. The device’s acoustic signal persists until manual deactivation, preventing the alarm from being ignored even in noisy environments.
SafeER manages three types of alarms, configurable from the operations center:
| Alarm type | How it activates | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Active SOS | Prolonged press of panic button | Acoustic signal on device + immediate notification to operations center |
| Sudden fall | Automatic detection from sensor | “Man down” alarm sent to responders |
| Absence of movement | No movement for a configurable time | Automatic alarm without worker intervention |
The results
24/7 direct channel
Always active and silent, for every worker, active across the entire perimeter of the ED and ward, independent of the ability to communicate verbally
Precise real-time localization at the moment of alarm:
The operations center sees the worker’s position on the floor plan in real time—no searching, no orientation delay
Coverage on involuntary events
Accidental falls and illness are detected automatically, even when the worker is unable to press the button
Why SafeER complies with Law 113/2020
Law 113/2020 requires healthcare facilities to equip themselves with concrete tools for prevention and management of assaults. SafeER directly satisfies this requirement: it provides a traceable system for requesting assistance, with event logs, certified localization, and centralized alarm management—documentable during regulatory verification.
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FAQ
Cos'è SafeER?
SafeER is a safety system for healthcare workers developed by YouCo. It combines smartwatches or other wearable devices with a network of beacons for indoor localization, enabling workers to send an emergency alarm in real time. The operations center receives the alert with the user’s exact position on the floor plan and can intervene immediately.
Come funziona il panic button di SafeER?
SafeER’s panic button activates with a prolonged press of a button on the smartwatch. Once activated, the device emits an acoustic signal and automatically sends a notification to the security operations center, which displays the worker’s position in real time on a map or building floor plan.
SafeER rileva anche le cadute accidentali?
Yes. SafeER includes “man down” mode, which activates automatically in case of a sudden fall or prolonged absence of movement. The alarm is generated without the worker having to press any button, ensuring coverage even in situations where the worker is unable to act.
Come funziona la localizzazione indoor di SafeER in ospedale?
SafeER uses a network of Bluetooth beacons installed in hospital areas (Emergency Department, wards, corridors). The beacons detect the position of the worker’s device with indoor precision and transmit the coordinates to the operations center, which displays them on the floor plan in real time.
SafeER è conforme alla Legge 113/2020 sulla sicurezza degli operatori sanitari?
SafeER supports healthcare facilities in complying with Law No. 113 of August 14, 2020, which requires concrete measures to protect healthcare workers from the risk of assault. The system provides a traceable channel for requesting assistance, with event logs and centralized alarm management.
SafeER funziona solo in ospedale?
No. SafeER can be used in any environment that requires individual worker protection: social-healthcare facilities, nursing homes, emergency response, industrial or logistics environments. Indoor localization via beacons can be integrated with GPS geolocation for coverage in outdoor environments.
Quali dispositivi supporta SafeER?
SafeER is compatible with smartwatches, other wearable devices, and smartphones. The choice of device depends on the facility’s operational needs.
