The 12 de Octubre University Hospital promotes digital security with SMARTair®
Last modified: 08/06/2026
One of Spain's largest hospital complexes is moving towards smarter, more traceable and flexible access management with SMARTair®, our keyless access control solution.
The 12 de Octubre University Hospital in Madrid is one of Spain's leading healthcare institutions. With over 20,000 professionals, nearly 4,000 doors, and multiple interconnected buildings, the hospital needed a solution to manage its high volume of internal traffic. This solution had to eliminate traditional keys and transform access control into a digital system without disrupting daily patient care.
At TESA ASSA ABLOY, we were part of this process with SMARTair®, our intelligent, flexible, and scalable access control solution, designed to meet the demands of environments where security must coexist with efficiency, traceability, and operational continuity.
Because in any hospital, every door matters. At the 12 de Octubre, this requirement becomes mandatory. This is not only due to the need to protect spaces, equipment, and sensitive information, but also because it helps streamline high-volume workflows, facilitates the work of professionals, and ensures that each person accesses only the areas they need, at the right time.
More than an electronic solution: a comprehensive approach to access
Although SMARTair® is the core of the project, the security of a hospital complex of this type requires a broader approach. Therefore, the intervention has been complemented by a combination of mechanical, electromechanical, and physical security solutions that reinforce the overall operation of the building.
The project includes an ePED solution for electrically controlled evacuation routes, more than 2,000 ASSA ABLOY DC/DEC door closers, 1,000 high-end TOP panic bars, electromechanical solutions such as ABLOY locks, electric strikes, and electromagnetic locks, as well as more than 1,000 TESA TD60 master keyed cylinders.
Mechanical security locks, fire-resistant locks, and hardware such as handles, pulls, stops, and bolts have also been incorporated. All these elements serve a key function: ensuring that each door meets the specific needs of the space it occupies, whether it's a critical area, an evacuation route, a fire door, a technical access point, or a high-traffic area.
This combination demonstrates that security doesn't depend on a single technology, but rather on the integration of different access solutions under a common principle: to protect, organize, and facilitate the daily use of the building.
Access control to the hospital digital transformation service
The digitization of a hospital is not limited to clinical or administrative systems. It also encompasses how spaces, workflows, and security are managed.
At the 12 de Octubre University Hospital, SMARTair® helps transform access control into a strategic management tool. It reduces reliance on physical keys, improves traceability, simplifies permission administration, and enhances security without adding complexity to the daily work of staff.
Furthermore, the solution can be integrated with other building systems, such as video surveillance, alarms, and corporate databases, reinforcing its role within a comprehensive security strategy.
The result is a hospital better prepared to meet current and future demands: safer, more flexible, and more adaptable.