Introduction

Located in Dothan, Ala., Health Center South is a new, multi-level, state-of-the-art medical facility featuring an onsite surgery center equipped with cutting-edge technology, surgical suites, secure underground parking and a café. The 200,000 square-foot, five-story $25 million building opened in May 2019, after two years of planning and construction.

The goal of Health Center South is to provide a collaborative working environment for those in the healthcare field. Every office is built-to-suit and can be customized by each tenant. The resources offered at this facility enable doctors and medical professionals to raise
their standards of care, and commit to a mindset of progress in the field. In addition to its office suites, this facility also features an entire floor dedicated to research and educational workshops.

This center is a convenient alternative to patients traveling to and from other hospitals. Streamlined access to the center allows tenants to run more efficient businesses, while less travel time for clients, allows medical staff to spend more time engaging with clientele.

The surgical suites available mean patients won’t have to find outside care, while medical professionals are able to offer more cost-effective services.

Challenges

As this facility offers state-of-the-art medical equipment, surgical facilities and houses personal medical data, Health Center South wanted to offer tenants the strongest security possible. As with many outpatient facilities, the flow of both patients and medical staff can pose a security risk – making access control a priority. With this in mind, the facility was built with the ability to put all conduits and boxes into concrete, thus eliminating the need for any future retrograding.

Health Center South features a private underground parking garage, the first floor houses the lobby and café, second floor is clinical care, with the third and fourth floors featuring a research facility, education and conference space. Tenants will be able to reserve and use the educational and conference spaces. Members of the public will also be able to rent those spaces for educational or private event purposes.

With the building layout in mind, and not knowing what future tenants needs might be, Health Center South needed a coverall security system in place, which could easily be adapted to each individual tenant’s needs. Access control would need to be expanded as much or little as possible.

The Solution

To create a forward thinking, technologically outfitted medical facility, Health Center South brought in Harris Security Systems – a systems integrator located in southern Alabama. John Gamble, project manager for Harris Security, said he began to design the project in 2016.

Gamble said the medical facility is an impressive addition to the area, which isn’t a large metropolitan area with many multi-story buildings. “This was a large-scale building and project for Dothan,” Gamble said. “Health Center South wanted the best security system possible.”

To ensure the security of the medical facility with visitors, Health Center South installed turnstiles integrated with Kantech EntraPass security management software, which is the only way for the public to gain access to the facility. Card access doors are available, during non-public hours for authorized individuals. The use of turnstiles adds a heightened level of security to the facility, which future tenants can find benefit in.

Additionally, electronic gates and barrier arms secure the private parking garage, which makes up the first underground level of the campus.

Health Center South’s card access doors are controlled by Kantech KT-1 control panels, which support two readers (IN/OUT) and can be managed using an embedded web browser. They also utilized the KT-400 control panels, allowing for management of four doors and up to 100,000 cards from a web browser. Kantech controllers are configurable in Standalone Mode for basic, cost-effective door security using a simple web browser – no EntraPass software required.

Gamble said Harris Security also installed Kantech ioSmart capacitive touch keypad readers. “This was a cost-effective solution for Health Center South as its open technology allows for versatile building and suite access for the center’s staff and management.”

Tara Black, director of development at Health Center South, said it was important that management could monitor and maintain the building’s security while not on-site. This was made possible by the installation of Kantech EntraPass web software, which is integrated with the hattrix hosted/managed access control solution – utilizing EntraPass.

“These programs enabled us to choose a flexible and scalable solution, while also allowing management to connect and oversee access points from anywhere,” Black said.

Health Center South also utilizes the Kantech EntraPass go mobile administration software, which allows management to remotely control the security system from anywhere, at any time. Management is able to interact with the onsite EntraPass software, while making real-time updates, creating cards, locking and unlocking doors and requesting reports.

Tennille Finch, project manager for Health Center South, said this project was a large undertaking for the area.

“Health Center South is the single largest building that will bring together healthcare providers into one space in Dothan, Ala.,” Finch said. “We wanted to make sure we had a great system to offer tenants.” As tenants, businesses will have access to private, access controlled offices, as well as the option for secure, underground parking, Finch said.

Additionally, Health Center South offers a backup UPI generator in case of power outages, ensuring patients will receive optimal care. The facility also offers advanced fiber optic technology, so all tenants will have the advantage of connectivity.

As such, any future and current tenants will have ease of access with the Kantech EntraPass go Pass mobile app. Each staff member will be added into the EntraPass system with the appropriate credentials to conveniently access secured areas. All users have to do is connect to the EntraPass server and it will give you a list of doors you’re authorized to enter and at what time, working just like an access card would.

Once a tenant moves into their space, staff members will be issued a card. EntraPass go Pass will ensure that tenants will only be able to access the lobby, elevator and the building space they rent. Health Center South is able to implement this through its integration with Kantech REL8 relay control modules, which enables elevator control.

The Future

Health Center South expects this building will be at 80 percent capacity within the next five years and each individual space will be outfitted with its own access control system once rented.

At that time developers of Health Center South already plan on looking into integrating its access control system with its video surveillance system.

The Customer – Health Center South

Health Center South is a new multi-specialty office space for the medical community in Dothan, Alabama. Centrally located between two hospitals, this premier property has many amenities and is close to a regional airport and the Gulf Coast. The vision for Health Center South is to simply give tenant practices the space, the resources and the environment to grow. Heath Center South is a vibrant medical center designed for truly exceptional healthcare professionals to thrive in a collaborative space.

The Integrator – Harris Security Systems

Harris Security is an innovative security company dedicated to custom security needs at an affordable price. They are a locally owned and operated business providing security services to southern Alabama for more than 25 years – a tried and tested local company to suit all security needs. Harris Security specializes in residential and commercial security systems and monitoring, as well as camera systems, card access, fire detection, medical emergency response systems and interactive services connecting customers to their home or business through smart phone, tablet or PC.