Physical Access Control Systems in Healthcare : Healthcare Workers’ Perceptions of Efficiency, Security, and User Experience

Sammanfattning

This master thesis investigates how physical access control systems (PACS) influence efficiency,security, and user experience in healthcare environments. As hospitals face increasingoperational demands, PACS play a critical role in supporting workflows while maintainingnecessary levels of security. However, existing systems may introduce friction in dailyworkflows and are often not designed with sufficient consideration of healthcare workers’ needs.The purpose of this study is to investigate healthcare workers’ perceptions and experiences ofPACS, as well as to identify design implications for future physical access solutions inhealthcare. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining a systematic literaturereview, semi-structured interviews, and field observations conducted at three hospitals in thesouthern part of Sweden. The qualitative data provides insights into healthcare workers’experiences, behaviours, and challenges related to PACS, while quantitative observationsillustrate operational impacts in the form of differences in passage times during different types ofmovement. The findings show that current PACS frequently disrupt workflows through repeatedauthentication, slow door behaviour, sensor interference, and inconsistent door logic. Theseinterruptions were particularly problematic in time-critical environments such as emergencyrooms, where rapid movement and coordination are essential. At the same time, healthcareworkers generally viewed access control measures as important for maintaining security andsafety, especially in environments associated with threats or violence. The study further showsthat efficiency, security, and user experience are closely interconnected, where measuresintended to improve one aspect may negatively affect another. Healthcare workers often adaptedtheir behaviour through workarounds and informal practices in order to maintain workflowefficiency. The study contributes with a user-centred perspective on PACS in healthcareenvironments, an area that remains relatively underexplored in existing research. Furthermore,the study identifies several design implications for future physical access solutions, highlightingthe importance of adaptive and context-aware systems that better align with the needs ofhealthcare workers.