With responsibility for the safety of young patients, visitor management is a top priority for Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) in Columbus, OH. The hospital uses a system that checks the background of visitors and issues a temporary identification badge noting what type of visitor they are.
The visitor management system software links to the federal sexual offender database, notes Dan Yaross, MSM, CPP, CHPA, director of security. There was some reluctance among administrators to conduct sex offender checks on all inpatient visitors, but Yaross demonstrated that an increasing number of children’s hospitals do so and provided data on how many potentially dangerous people could be screened out. Administrators also were swayed by concern over the negative publicity that could result, not just from an actual sexual assault, but even from parents finding out that a convicted sex offender was allowed on the same floor as their child.
The screening system was initiated about two years ago.
“We got hits on it right away, convicted offenders coming here and wanting to go upstairs and see a patient. Some wanted to stay overnight,” Yaross says. “We’ve had a number of people who were not allowed to go upstairs.”
For family members who are convicted sex offenders, NCH customizes a security plan. If the person is a parent or guardian and has direct contact with the patient at home, the hospital will determine what is necessary for that person to be allowed to see the patient. Depending on the particular history and situation, the hospital may require that the person be escorted by a security officer at all times or that an officer be posted near the patient room. The time allowed for visiting will be limited, and overnight visits are unlikely to be allowed.
The visitor management system also produces temporary identification badges that indicate the person is a parent, grandparent, or other visitor. The designation helps NCH staff better understand what access is appropriate for the visitor, Yaross explains.
Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH, uses a system that checks the background of visitors and issues a temporary identification badge noting what type of visitor they are.
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