Time accuracy and synchronization are critical in health care because each second matters. Employees can operate efficiently and comply with industry regulations when facility clocks are aligned. As a medical professional, you understand the importance of coordinating surgical procedures and precise medication administration. What are the best solutions for ensuring precise timekeeping in hospitals? Here are the top picks.
What Are the Best Solutions for Ensuring Precise Timekeeping in Hospitals?
Synchronized clock systems are the best timekeeping solutions in hospitals because they use a network time protocol (NTP). This protocol controls the clocks of computer systems and ensures consistency across the network. NTP devices exchange time with servers, then offset the link delay to match the timepieces. The clocks regularly update themselves with message exchanges, thus heightening accuracy in health care facilities.
Before acquiring synchronized clock systems, you should carefully consider each brand and its features. Here are eight factors to decide which solutions are best for your hospital:
- Accuracy: Time precision is the most critical factor, so consider the device’s source. Does it use NTP, GPS, or an atomic clock? Synchronization is key to functionality.
- Scalability: Check how many clocks and devices the system can support. Will it be sufficient for future expansions?
- Compatibility: For ease of use, ensure the synchronized clock system is compatible with the existing network infrastructure and other hospital systems.
- Installation: The installation process could require specialized expertise or wiring and an experienced technician.
- Security: Check the network protocols and security features to ensure bad actors cannot tamper with the clocks.
- Power: The system should offer flexible power options like battery and AC.
- Range: If you choose a wireless clock, it must have sufficient range to cover the hospital.
- Aesthetics: While design is a minor detail, it should align with the rest of your hospital.
Which Synchronized Clock Systems Are the Best Solutions for Ensuring Precise Timekeeping in Hospitals?
Modern synchronized clocks meet the unique demands of hospitals through their accuracy and reliability. Here are the top options for timekeeping in your health care facility.
1. National Time & Signal
National Time & Signal has designed quality timing mechanisms for over 100 years. Your hospital can choose wired or wireless systems, depending on facility needs. The wired mechanisms include digital, analog, and spectrum clocks, featuring time corrections and varying designs. Hospitals should consider digital clocks for their brightness control and epoxy-sealed display.
Wireless systems include Wi-Fi and TimeCast clocks, leveraging your facility’s existing internet connection and proprietary concepts. NATSCO’s Wi-Fi clocks form robust time mechanisms without relying on transmitters or master systems, making installation simpler. The company’s TimeCast technology is terrific for hospitals because it uses a clock-to-clock meshing tool to spread precise time throughout the building.
Key Features
| Remote monitoring capabilities | Cutting-edge Wi-Fi technology |
| Precise internet time | Automatic clock status reporting |
2. Pyramid Time Systems
Pyramid Time Systems builds reliable clocks for health care, education, and sports facilities. The company has been an industry leader in time accuracy and synchronized wall clocks since 1969. Regardless of size, you can find the best solutions to ensure precise timekeeping in your hospital. These clocks are accurate, durable, and compliant with the law.
The company’s digital clocks are viewable from up to 250 feet away and include four- and six-digit formats. These devices rely on radio frequency (RF) wireless and power over Ethernet (PoE) networks to ensure accurate time in your hospital. If you have a legacy clock, Pyramid Time Systems can restore or replace it with the correct parts.
Key Features
| Analog and digital clocks | RF wireless, PoE networks, and wired master clocks |
| Designed and engineered using premium materials | Functional for multisite hospitals |
3. American Time
American Time has sold over 2 million clocks worldwide due to its cutting-edge technologies and wide production selection. The company makes elapsed timers, wireless clocks, and wired systems to help your hospital run smoothly. It recently unveiled white steel-case clocks to feature achromatic styles and neutral accents. Durability and elegance from heavy-duty steel are the highlights of these products.
American Time features different technologies based on your hospital’s needs, including SiteSync Wireless, PoE, and Wi-Fi for analog clocks. SiteSync IQ devices receive time from the internet and GPS satellites to ensure accuracy and align with other wireless equipment. You can centralize control over wired systems, streamline management of your building’s clocks, and retrofit existing mechanisms.
Key Features
| High-quality clocks with protective guards | Repair services to fix hospital clocks |
| Emergency audio and notification system | API integrations |
4. Sapling
Sapling has been a timekeeping systems leader for over two decades, and its technology is featured in hospitals and schools. The Pennsylvania business features a complete line of analog and digital clocks, including IP-PoE, Wi-Fi, and wired technologies. While based in the Northeast, the company has over 100 dealers worldwide to bring the clocks closer to you.
Sapling’s most popular product is the wireless clock system due to its patented frequency-hopping technology. This feature lets other clocks in the building operate on the same range without interference. Hospitals with Sapling wireless clocks receive time from NTP servers or GPS satellites, and then they send signals to secondary devices. Therefore, you do not need repeaters or additional transmitters.
Key Features
| Quality technology and tech support | Indoor and outdoor clocks of varying sizes, shapes, and finishes |
| Over 100 dealers worldwide | Patented frequency-hopping technology |
5. Mobatime
Mobatime has produced world-class time solutions with its synchronization expertise since 1938. The company leverages Swiss quality and innovation by developing and testing all its products in Europe. Public buildings and industries worldwide use these timekeeping technologies to ensure accuracy and precision regardless of their facilities.
Mobatime’s best technologies for hospitals include master, analog, and digital clocks. These devices display time, date, temperature, and other critical information you may need inside the building. The company’s digital display clocks include the latest network packet synchronization and standard time codes to help your health care facility’s operations.
Key Features
| Over 1.5 million clocks produced | Swiss craftsmanship and reliability |
| ISO certifications | Direct and partner-based support structures |
6. Innovation Wireless
Innovation Wireless has specialized in synchronized time and communications systems for over 30 years. The California-based business manufactures and sells wireless and IP-PoE devices to ensure hospitals have the best solutions for precise timekeeping. KRONOsync transmitters deliver the most accurate time to your clocks, while the IP-PoE system offers comprehensive network communications.
Clocks from Innovation Wireless stand out because they are easy to install, use, and maintain. The company ensures user-friendliness through its intuitive platform and IP-PoE software. The wireless options include LED digital and analog devices, which increase operational efficiency with fewer cords. In addition to clocks, message boards can be installed to display notifications quickly and easily.
Key Features
| Easy installation, maintenance and usage | KRONOsync transmitter for accurate time |
| Over 50 years of clock design and manufacturing | LED message boards |
7. Time Clock Experts
Time Clock Experts is relatively new to the timekeeping industry, considering its 2001 founding. However, its advanced technologies excellently cater to hospitals and businesses across industries. The company has solutions for your needs, from simple systems to comprehensive workforce management. In-house experts will help you automate manual tasks and improve time accuracy.
Time Clock Experts evaluates your hospital’s needs to determine the best timekeeping solution. The company prides itself on cutting-edge technologies and user-friendly interfaces to make its devices accessible. Its lineup includes analog and digital clocks with precise times, dates, and clear LCD and LED displays. Besides clocks, it has time and attendance solutions to encourage employee punctuality.
Key Features
| Analog and digital solutions | Easy integration with existing infrastructure |
| Central control of all clocks | Flexible design to suit hospital needs |
8. Novanex Solutions
Virginia-based Novanex Solutions has been selling clocks and messaging signs for over 30 years. Professionals at the Charlottesville factory build the best solutions for ensuring precise timekeeping in hospitals. The digital clocks include seven segments, NTP time server synchronization, and multiple case styles. Your health care facility can turn the numbers red or green, depending on your preference.
ETL certification ensures the digital clocks satisfy the updated standards from Underwriters Laboratories. Novanex Solutions has PoE clocks with a custom-printed dial and NTP time server synchronization if you prefer analog systems. Single- and double-sided models are available, as is DHCP configuration. Besides clocks, the company features emergency messaging signs that do not need an AC outlet.
Key Features
| Assembled and tested in Virginia | Seven-segment LED digital clocks |
| NTP time server synchronization | IP-synchronized time |
9. TPC Systems
TPC Systems is trusted by over 16,000 customers worldwide, including hospital staff. The Connecticut company makes accurate and trustworthy clocks powered by its proprietary 72MHz broadcast frequency system. This innovative technology synchronizes every clock in your health care facility using less energy. The style and power options ensure the best for your employees and patients.
TPC Systems features OneVue Sync digital clocks for synchronization and functionality. These timekeeping devices have bright LED lights and sleek designs to increase their usefulness and aesthetics. The OneVue Sync technology unifies the clocks across your campuses, ensuring unification and efficiency. With these systems, you can more accurately document coded events and offer time-based billing.
Key Features
| 90+ years of clock service | 24-hour service available |
| Over 16,000 customers worldwide | Unique 72MHz broadcast frequency system |
10. Torrence
Torrence understands the unique needs of health care facilities, so it delivers the best solutions for ensuring precise timekeeping in hospitals. The business offers wired and wireless clock systems with medical-specific features like countdowns and elapsed time devices. These characteristics make daily hospital functions more manageable, such as navigating DTN, DCTT, and code blue.
Torrence products rely on a master clock to receive time from an NTP server or GPS receiver. Once it acquires the time, it sends the information to other clocks within the system. Multiple daily updates ensure your devices remain synchronized and do not drift. The wireless options let you mount clocks anywhere in the hospital and easily integrate with existing power circuits.
Key Features
| Countdown and elapsed time options | GPS or NTP time synchronization |
| Different options for power sourcing | Automatic daylight saving time change |
11. Masterclock
Masterclock delivers precision timing for time-sensitive users, whether hospitals or major broadcasting networks. The company understands the high demand for accuracy, as it significantly impacts employees and patients. It takes pride in reliable and affordable timekeeping solutions to keep your staff in sync. From NTP to PoE technologies, numerous options exist for your facility.
Masterclock ensures your departments use the same time, regardless of how many buildings your hospital has. Advanced technologies make time documentation and record-keeping easier, thus lessening the staff burden. The company understands the severity of a code blue, so it delivers correct timing for these situations. If you are interested in synchronized clock systems, you can get a free quote and consultation from Masterclock’s experts.
Key Features
| In-house engineering and manufacturing | Customer support 365 days a year |
| Free quote request and consultation | Reliable and affordable synchronized clock solutions |
12. Digital Display Systems
Digital Display Systems is among the best solutions for ensuring precise timekeeping in hospitals due to its flexibility. Health care leaders can customize screens with their preferred colors, number combinations, and digit sizes. The systems emphasize durability and practicality through a shatterproof composition and an anodized black aluminum frame. Each digital clock includes a 10-year lithium memory backup to maintain accuracy despite power failures.
Digital Display carries clocks in various shapes, formats, and sizes to fit your hospital’s architectural requirements. These devices are ready to install on walls and ceilings, providing excellent visibility for staff and patients. Depending on specific needs, you can customize the clocks to have one, two, or four sides. The company prioritizes readability, user-friendly programming, and energy efficiency in its products.
Key Features
| Varying digit sizes up to 7 inches | Customized day, hour, and minute displays |
| Shatterproof, non-glare lens | Red, yellow, green, or blue LED display |
Acquiring the Best Solutions to Ensure Precise Timekeeping in Hospitals
Timekeeping is critical to patient safety, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance, so hospitals must take it seriously. Synchronized clock systems are the best way to unify health care departments regardless of campus size. From digital to analog devices, administrators have numerous options to improve outcomes. Before investing in this infrastructure, evaluate the brands and features to determine which is right for your facility.
