Policy/Procedure for Celebrities/VIPs Who Present for Evaluation or Treatment in Emergency and Express Care Services
August 1, 2000 3 minutes read
Policy/Procedure for Celebrities/VIPs Who Present for Evaluation or Treatment in Emergency and Express Care Services
PURPOSE: To provide a policy and procedure that addresses those situations when a celebrity or VIP presents requesting evaluation or treatment to the Emergency and Express Care Services. The intent of this policy and procedure is to ensure that these individuals are secure and that their personal comfort and patient rights are not compromised. Some individuals are placed at increased risk for being approached by the general public and/or hospital staff for reasons unrelated to their medical care. These individuals include politicians (local, state, and national), famous religious leaders, sports figures, and others. The intent of this policy is not necessarily to move these individuals to "the head of the line," but rather to ensure their security and anonymity. Nevertheless, there are individuals who, for reasons of security and safety, should have confidential and expedited care.
POLICY: In the event a celebrity or VIP presents for evaluation or treatment, this procedure will be followed:
I. Arrival by EMS:
1. Patient to be placed in the appropriate exam room.
2. Draw curtains and/or close doors to room.
3. Notify patient care coordinator (PCC) immediately.
a. PCC to notify the following:
i. attending emergency services (ES) physician
ii. public safety trauma officer
iii. registration staff (bedside registration to occur)
iv. director of clinical operations or designee
v. director of emergency services or chairman
4. DO NOT place patient’s name on tracking board.
5. Access to patient is to be limited to practitioners with a "need-to-know" status (e.g., primary nurse, ES resident, ES attending, applicable ancillary services). NOTE: Members of the hospital administration may arrive in the department to welcome or meet some patients. Please refer them to the PCC.
6. Staff members are to honor the patient’s privacy.
7. ES staff have the responsibility to keep any curious onlookers out of the area. Contact the PCC and/or the public safety trauma officer about individuals who are not complying with requests to move out of the area.
II. Ambulatory arrival: (Note: Individuals may present at triage OR at the trauma officer desk.)
1. The patient should be placed in an exam room if available. NOTE: These individuals are not necessarily to be evaluated or treated before other ES patients with a higher triage score or greater need. Nevertheless, these individuals should be treated in the most expeditious manner possible.
2. If no exam room is available, the following areas are potential optional "waiting rooms":
a. MCG ED family grief/consultation room
b. CMC ED family grief/consultation room
c. CMC ED conference room
d. CMC exam room.
3. Follow items I, 1-7.
III. Patient care coordinator will:
Document the specifics of the visit (name of person; chief complaint; disposition; any issues, positive or negative) on the 24-hour report and submit to the emergency services manager.
IV. Special security issues: Because of heightened security status for some celebrities/VIPs who are important to national security, (e.g., the president), it will be necessary to place them immediately in an examination room (regardless of the minor nature of their illness or injury). In these cases, the individual needs to be taken immediately to the appropriate and designated examination room. The room selected must allow minimal access or visibility and allow maximal security and protection. Any security instructions given by a protective agency (e.g., the Secret Service) should be followed. Additionally, these individuals should receive expedited care.
Source: Medical College of Georgia, Augusta.
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