Emanuel Medical Center in Turlock, Calif., has a new check-in and visitor-badge procedure, according to an article on the Turlock City News website.

The change will require any non-employee coming to the hospital to check in at a security desk, say where they are going and wear a visitor badge for that particular area of the hospital. Hospital staff currently wears ID badges.

These types of procedures are becoming increasingly common in large healthcare facilities, and at the recommendation of the hospital’s Safety Task Force are being implemented at Emanuel, according to a hospital spokesperson.

Anyone coming to the hospital’s main entrance will check in with a security guard and be given a peel-and-stick badge that is color-coded for the area of the hospital they need to access. If Emanuel staff sees guests in other areas of the hospital, staff will help the guests find their way back to the proper floor or unit. 

The check-in process will work similarly at the entrance of the emergency department, except patients will not be delayed as they enter the hospital. The security check-in will be away from the entrance, positioned near the elevators that provide access to the main hospital areas beyond the ER.

Read the article.