How Hospitals Keep Their Patients Safe
When you visit the hospital, you may not think about the security measures in place, since you are focused on receiving care. This is particularly true today, when the risk of contracting the novel coronavirus adds an extra level of anxiety to most trips. However, all healthcare facilities have extensive security systems in place to make sure that patients stay safe, both while they’re at the hospital and after they leave.
Data Protection Programs
Hospitals keep highly confidential records for all their patients, including their addresses, insurance information, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and medical histories. Although some healthcare providers still maintain physical files on their patients, they almost always store the majority of their documents on computers now. These databases must be strictly protected in case hackers attempt to steal the information. Additionally, to make sure that clients receive accurate charges, most healthcare providers use a CDM charge master, which provides another level of security for you.
Patient Alarm Systems
If you’ve ever had a baby or visited a new mom and her child in the hospital, you know that healthcare providers take alarm systems seriously. Babies and other patients who can’t take care of themselves are usually equipped with alarms that are attached to bracelets or anklets. If someone tries to remove a patient from his or her ward, the alarm will sound. This prevents anyone from taking advantage of these patients’ vulnerable states.
ID Checks
The next time you go to your doctor’s office, look at what your doctor and nurses have around their necks. All of them wear IDs issued by their practice so that they can swipe into office computers and access locked parts of the campus. If you visit a locked area of a hospital or stay for an extended amount of time, you receive an ID badge that gives you access to the rooms that you must enter. For example, when your partner has a baby, you receive a bracelet that identifies you as the baby’s parent and a badge that lets you enter the maternity ward without asking for help.
As a patient, you don’t see the security measures that keep you safe whenever you go to the hospital. While some of these measures may seem like nuisances, particularly if you’re a visitor, they’re ultimately worth it. After all, to feel comfortable at a doctor’s office, everyone needs to feel as safe as possible.
