11 Questions Hospital Security Directors Should Ask When Considering A Visitor Management System

Hospital Security Directors need to consider many different facets of security as part of their jobs. One is visitor management. Knowing who is coming in and out of the building and who is in the healthcare facility at any given time are important to know. If a Hospital Security Director is considering purchasing a visitor management system, they need to ask themselves some questions before actually making the decision. Here are 11 visitor management questions that Hospital Security Directors should ask themselves:

1. What visitor management protocol do we currently have in place now? Understanding the current state of what is working and not working is a good first step before evaluating actual options.
2. Does the electronic visitor management software need to tie into my facility’s EMR?
3. Do I need to badge all visitors through our main lobby?
4. If I don’t need to badge all visitors through the main lobby, do I want to badge just certain floors (e.g. Maternity) or during certain times of the day (e.g. after hours)?
5. Will visitors be required to wear a hospital badge at all times while they are on the facility’s property?
6. Do I expect my visitors to sign out when leaving the facility?
7. Would an expiring badge be appropriate in our hospital setting?
8. How many entrances do we have open to the public? If there are multiple entrances, you will need a visitor documentation solution at each entry location.
9. How many visitors do we get on a daily basis? Monthly basis? Knowing the expected number of visitors will help ensure you have enough visitor badges on hand with proper planning.
10. What will my facility’s protocol be if we lose power? Having a low-tech, quality back-up system will ensure that you can maintain a secure visitor management process until the power comes back on.
11. What is the timeline for implementing something new?