AMAG Pharmaceuticals is a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company focused on bringing therapeutics to market that provide clear benefits and help improve people’s lives. The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most highly regulated, which means AMAG’s operations must be kept in line with requirements like the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

They’re a set of of extensive guidelines that Nathan McBride, CIO & SVP, Innovation Architects at AMAG, knows well. Nathan is also the Corporate Facilities Manager; his 36-person team oversees more than 160,000 square feet of facilities in the U.S., including offices in San Bruno, CA, Waltham, MA, and a blood cord processing center they acquired in Tucson, AZ.

With more than 7,000 visitors every year, Nathan’s team is responsible for controlling access and keeping records of every individual who walks into one of their buildings in case of audits. AMAG initially built its own electronic system, but Nathan says they needed a better solution. “Our previous system kept us moderately covered from a compliance standpoint, but it was hard to keep track of what was going on. The receptionist had to be trained because it wasn’t intuitive, and we couldn’t be sure the systems were followed 100 percent.”

Keep seamless digital records for audits

Nathan saw Envoy’s visitor registration system at a biotech startup, signed up immediately, and had it set up by the end of the day. Envoy’s intuitive design and SOC 2 certificate made it an easy decision—especially when it came to audit requirements.

Third-party audits are already a regular occurrence; gaps or non-compliance can lead to significant financial penalties. This is even more important with their blood cord processing center in Arizona, where the FDA is twice as likely to come in for audits.

Envoy’s iPad-based digital sign-in allows AMAG to seamlessly keep a log of the comings-and-goings, forming a repository of information. In addition to being able to track and review visitor data on Envoy’s powerful dashboard, it’s easy to export a CSV of relevant visitor data for audits.

“Envoy has become a critical piece of our business,” said Nathan. “We went from zero to the top of the scale when it comes verifying visitor information: who, what, when, and where. Envoy is a no brainer for us in when it comes to the value we receive.”

 Envoy has become a critical piece of our business. We went from zero to the top of the scale when it comes verifying visitor information: who, what, when, and where.

Enhance existing security with badges and pre‑registration

Envoy’s visitor badges during check-in are an important part of AMAG’s security: everyone who enters one of their locations must have one. It’s easy to customize badges based on company needs; AMAG’s badges include the guest’s photo, name, company or agency name, host name, and the date and time of check-in. If an employee forgets their ID at home, they are required to check in with Envoy and wear a badge as well.

When they arrive, guests have their photo taken; the receptionist checks for quality and asks visitors to retake it if the image is blurry. They also receive the badge with a color-coded lanyard to indicate the type of person they’re visiting. Lastly, the host receives a notification from Envoy and picks up the guest, verifying their identity with the receptionist.

Employees are also encouraged to use the registration feature for added security, which helps the front desk know who’s coming each day and streamlines the process for visitors.

Nathan says Envoy makes it easier to stay on top of the building’s security. “Physical security—knowing who’s in our building at every moment—is absolutely critical,” said Nathan. “If you care about security, Envoy is important. It’s a system that already takes social engineering into account.”