One of the largest health systems in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, Sentara operates 12 hospitals across Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina. With 30,000 employees, this top 20 not-for-profit integrated health system needed security that matched their commitment to compassionate care.

Sentara’s dedication to patient care extends beyond medical services to creating safe, welcoming environments. Without an existing screening solution, the healthcare system sought technology that would: maintain their organizational culture and brand identity of care; integrate seamlessly with facility operations; provide effective weapons detection; and preserve their professional aesthetic.

After evaluating available screening technologies and conducting site visits, Sentara implemented a 90-day SmartGateway pilot program across two hospitals. The decision centered on several key factors: proven detection capabilities; simple operation without daily recalibration; helpful and knowledgeable customer support; and customizable design that complemented hospital aesthetics.

“We’re incredibly impressed by what we saw of the SmartGateway at other facilities and knew we wanted to test it ourselves”, said Stephen Hollowell, senior director, systemwide security, Sentara. “We needed a solution that was easy to use, didn’t need regular maintenance, and allowed our staff and anyone visiting our facilities to feel safe and comfortable. Xtract One’s SmartGateway more than provided that for us.” 

The pilot program revealed compelling data about previously undetected security risks. 5.6 percent of scanned individuals carried weapons or prohibited items. These weapons included firearms, knives, machetes, pepper sprays, swords, self-defense batons, box-cutters, brass knuckles, a crossbow, crowbar, and multi-tools (with knife blades and tasers). 1,877 weapons were detected and prevented from entering 5.5 percent of individuals chose to return to their vehicles rather than undergo screening or altered and declined secondary screening and returned to their car.

Most significantly, weapons detected rates declined over time, demonstrating the system’s effectiveness as a deterrent. Based on these results and SmartGateway’s alignment with hospital operations, Sentara has initiated a program to implement the technology across their entire healthcare system. The solution delivers efficient and effective protection while maintaining the welcoming environment essential to patient care.