Imprivata GroundControl: Enabling secure virtual visits during hospital lockdowns

In an effort to reduce COVID-19 infections, hospitals are implementing strict visitation policies preventing any family members, friends, or other loved ones from physically visiting patients in the hospital. These policies often leave patients – many of whom are acutely ill and forced to remain inpatient for long periods of time – completely isolated. Imprivata is helping these patients stay connected with their families and loved ones during their hospital stay.

How? We’re offering Imprivata GroundControl, which is a complete lifecycle management platform for shared mobile devices, to hospitals like the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). This allows URMC to quickly provision batches of devices tailored toward patient use and then “digitally sanitize” every iPad that patients use for virtual visitations. These devices are optimized for ease of use the second a patient gets them, but also guaranteed to fully comply with hospital security policies and privacy regulations.

It’s not enough just to place an iPad in every patient’s hands, with access to the applications and tools they need to stay in touch with loved ones. To ensure patient privacy and HIPAA compliance, each shared iPad must be “wiped clean” after every use. This way, every time a new patient receives an iPad, it has been returned to a “ready state” and ensures data security.

Imprivata GroundControl allows URMC and other organizations to automatically manage the provisioning, digital security and privacy settings of every shared iOS device put into use. URMC uses Imprivata GroundControl to digitally sanitize every shared iPad – while it’s charging – and then fully set up and secure the devices for the next use.

With hospital IT teams operating remotely, and providers are working around the clock, this is one more way Imprivata is working to help our partners provide the best possible patient care.