LANSING, Mich — UM Health Sparrow is expanding safety measures for healthcare workers with the rollout of wearable panic buttons designed to provide immediate access to help during dangerous situations.
- UM Health Sparrow has introduced wearable panic buttons to help protect healthcare workers amid what officials say is a rise in workplace violence.
- Nurses and caregivers can alert the hospital’s public safety department instantly by pressing the Canopy Go button twice.
- Hospital leaders say more than 3,000 panic buttons have already been distributed, with thousands more planned for hospital staff and in-home care workers.
- Caregivers say the devices provide peace of mind and improve safety for staff, patients, and visitors alike.
WATCH: One click for help: UM Health Sparrow expands workplace safety measures with wearable panic buttons
Hospital officials say the devices, known as Canopy Go buttons, come in response to growing concerns about violence against healthcare workers in hospitals and medical settings.
“We don’t have to find a phone, get to a telephone, wait on hold, wait for somebody to answer, wait for them to dispatch,” said registered nurse Jeff Breslin. “It’s the click of a button.”
Breslin has worked as a registered nurse at UM Health Sparrow for more than 30 years and says he has witnessed a growing need for additional security protections over time.
“There have been several times where either patients I’m taking care of or their families have proceeded to get violent,” Breslin said.
Hospital administrators say those concerns are becoming more common across healthcare settings.
“Whether it’s an argument with a patient, a community member, or if it’s violence against them,” said Chris Nemets, the Regional Chief Nursing Informatics Officer for Michigan Medicine.
For years, the hospital has relied on security officers and metal detectors as primary safety measures. Now, the wearable panic buttons are adding another layer of protection for caregivers.
“So if somebody’s in trouble or they need help, all they need to do is push this button twice and it’ll alert our public safety department that there’s a caregiver in need,” Nemets said.
Officials say implementation of the Canopy Go system began about a year ago. Since then, more than 3,000 panic buttons have been distributed to caregivers, with another 7,000 expected to be deployed throughout the healthcare system.
The devices are also being expanded to workers outside the hospital, including homecare and hospice staff who often work alone in patients’ homes.
“We have embarked on deploying these to our homecare and home hospice team members,” Chris said. “These nurses are out in the field and in patients’ homes, so this gives them an avenue of safety.”
Healthcare workers who already use the devices say they have helped provide peace of mind while on the job.
“Staff that does have the buttons, they love it,” Breslin said.
Breslin added that continued investments in safety measures will benefit everyone inside the hospital.
“It’s not only safety for us, safety for the staff, but it’s also safety for the patients and visitors,” he said. “This is a place of healing.”
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