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3 min read
How One Hospital is Revolutionizing Medication Security with ControLoc® Technology
When it comes to healthcare, there’s no room for error — especially in how medications are stored and accessed. That’s why we’re always excited to spotlight creative solutions that bring added security, control, and efficiency to critical environments.
A great example comes from Maisonneuve-Rosemont Hospital in Montreal, Quebec. With 800 beds and over 8,000 patients served each year, the hospital needed a smarter way to manage medication access during off-hours — without sacrificing safety or accountability.
(Above image shows front of pass-thru medication lockers)
A Smarter Way to Store Medications After-Hours
While hospitals are always staffed to care for patients, pharmacists can’t be on-site 24/7. At Maisonneuve-Rosemont, this led to a common but risky practice: pharmacists would prepare medications during their shift, then leave them for nurses or other staff to distribute later. Unfortunately, this opens the door to potential issues like misplacement, mislabeling, or misuse — even with the best intentions.
To solve this, the hospital worked with their local Spacesaver representative, who brought a unique idea to the table: use pass-thru evidence lockers, typically reserved for law enforcement applications, as secure, trackable medication drop points.
(Above image shows back of pass-thru medication lockers)
Medication Security Powered by ControLoc® Technology
By integrating Spacesaver’s ControLoc® Technology into pass-thru lockers, the hospital created a system where pharmacists can deposit medications securely during their shift. Only the designated health professional — and no one else — can retrieve the medication using a unique access code.
This simple shift adds layers of accountability and transparency to the medication process, allowing hospital administrators to know exactly who accessed which medication, and when. It also protects patients by ensuring drugs are handled appropriately and only by authorized individuals.
Better Oversight, Less Overhead
With these smart lockers in place, Maisonneuve-Rosemont no longer needs to keep a pharmacist on-site 24/7 — delivering major cost savings without compromising care. Even better, this automated system improves efficiency and provides detailed usage data, helping healthcare teams better manage high-value narcotics and life-critical medications.
Why It Matters
This installation proves that secure storage isn’t just for weapons, evidence, or records. The same high-security systems trusted by law enforcement can be adapted to meet the demanding needs of modern hospitals and healthcare facilities.
At Donnegan Systems, we bring these capabilities to organizations throughout New England as the exclusive New England and Eastern New York provider of Spacesaver. Whether it’s ControLoc® Technology, pass-thru lockers, or another tailored solution, we help facilities reimagine what’s possible with secure storage — for healthcare, public safety, and beyond.
Key components of working with a local partner:
- Storage expertise
- Product showroom
- System design & drawings, Including BIM Objects
- Cost analysis/projected costs
- Installation & service
- Documentation supporting LEED
We are happy to assist you in any of your storage and space planning needs, get in touch today.
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