A.C. Camargo Cancer Center Enhances Security, Patient Care with Help from Advanced Video Surveillance
A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, a leading oncology treatment center in São Paulo, Brazil recognized for its history of innovation, today announced that its partnership with Axis Communications has produced savings of more than $2 million over its first two years, all of which will be reinvested in patient care. A.C. Camargo has deployed more than 2,000 state-of-the-art video surveillance cameras throughout the Center’s corridors, complex care units, and parking lots, embracing a more holistic approach to security that emphasizes patient and employee safety along with improved quality of service.
Founded in 1953, A.C. Camargo treats an estimated 100,000 patients annually and is one of the world’s largest healthcare institutions and a leading provider of cancer treatment and research. The Center is not just a hospital, but a comprehensive care platform that includes prevention, investigation, staging, treatment, palliative care, and rehabilitation services for all types of cancer. Prior to partnering with Axis, financial losses due to theft were a growing concern for A.C. Camargo, and hospital leaders sought to transform the hospital’s security infrastructure in a way that would both enhance its security posture and streamline patient care and services.
“Nearly 15,000 people pass through our entrances each day, and caring for those patients extends far beyond operating or patient rooms,” said William de Souza, Corporate Manager at A.C. Camargo Cancer Center. “By deploying advanced new video surveillance devices, we are enabling our security teams to maintain round-the-clock vigilance and our medical personnel to provide the highest quality of care to our patients. With cameras monitoring all areas, including cafeterias and parking lots, we are always looking for potential warning signs—even after patients have been discharged. If anything seems amiss, we can alert our team that additional medical care may be needed.”
The Axis devices are equipped with video analytics that allow the Center to go beyond asset protection. These analytics are deployed with a high degree of sensitivity to ensure high-quality care for patients, their families, and the nearly 6,000 staff members on-site daily, while also protecting their privacy. Axis cameras have enabled the A.C. Camargo Center to improve operations and meet key national and international certifications through:
Increased Operational Efficiency: The system enhances operational efficiency by proactively detecting critical issues such as power outages, water leaks, and equipment malfunctions – including refrigerators used for medication storage. This early detection helps prevent medication loss and limit downtime. Additionally, the system can identify nitrogen leaks and immediately trigger luminous alerts, enabling staff to respond quickly and prevent potentially hazardous situations from escalating.
Optimized Parking Management: With more than 300,000 vehicles passing through the Center’s parking facilities each year, traffic management is critical. The new system helps streamline the process by automatically identifying license plates belonging to authorized vehicles.
Enhanced Patient Care: By providing continuous monitoring in critical areas, such as surgical centers, and delicate procedure rooms, like cellular medicine and pathology, the system enhances patient safety while maintaining strict compliance with privacy regulations.
Emergency Management Solutions: Cameras throughout the facility are equipped with analytics that detect falls and suspicious behavior and can even assist in identifying and preventing situations where individuals in distress might harm themselves.
“The implementation of Axis solutions at A.C. Camargo Cancer Center underscores what is possible when innovation is paired with a deep commitment to care,” said Carlos Machado, End Customer, Key Account Manager, Brazil at Axis Communications. “By integrating video surveillance cameras enhanced with analytics, the Center has made safety a central pillar of its operations, allowing staff to fully focus on what matters most: the health and comfort of their patients. By doing so, hospital leadership has set a compelling example for other institutions facing similar challenges.”
After initially implementing 300 cameras, A.C. Camargo quickly noticed a difference. The Center moved to further scale the system, adding hundreds of additional cameras to achieve greater coverage throughout its facilities. Today, there are a total of 2,100 cameras throughout the seven buildings that make up the Center. Looking to the future, both A.C. Camargo and Axis Communications remain committed to further implementing solutions that support continuous improvement in patient outcomes and operational effectiveness.