Visitor Management: Key to Enhancing Safety in Healthcare

The rising costs of workplace violence in healthcare, estimated at $18.27 billion in 2023, highlight a critical area of vulnerability: visitor management. Andrea Greco, Senior Vice President of Healthcare Safety at CENTEGIX, emphasizes that incidents of violence often involve visitors rather than patients alone. This oversight in managing visitor access poses significant risks, especially in hospital environments where security protocols are often lacking.

Research indicates that fewer than half of healthcare workers report their facilities implementing basic visitor management measures, such as ID checks at entry points. As healthcare organizations strive to enhance safety for staff and patients, prioritizing visitor management protocols is essential.

Striking the Right Balance

Healthcare leaders face a challenging dilemma: how to strengthen security without creating an unwelcoming atmosphere for patients and their families. Effective visitor management must balance safety with compassion, requiring input from diverse stakeholders, including patient coordinators, nurses, and family advisory groups. For example, while family members may seek unrestricted access to loved ones in intensive care, patients require rest and treatment for optimal recovery.

Crafting visitor management policies tailored to the specific needs of each unit is crucial. Behavioral health units, for instance, may necessitate more stringent visitation rules compared to post-operative care areas. Such customization helps ensure that safety measures do not compromise patient care, while also fostering an environment conducive to healing.

Change management is also vital. Staff must clearly understand visitor management protocols and their rationale. A streamlined check-in process, coupled with transparent communication, can help visitors feel supported during difficult times, while allowing healthcare professionals to focus on providing care.

Building an Effective Visitor Management Program

An effective visitor management program encompasses more than basic sign-ins or casual ID checks. According to Greco, the strongest programs share five essential characteristics:

1. **Clear and Consistent Policies**: Visitors should know what to expect, and staff must consistently enforce established protocols to minimize confusion and conflict.

2. **Smooth Check-In and Screening Processes**: Pre-registration or efficient on-site systems allow visitors to check in and receive badges that indicate they have passed security checks, helping to prevent potential threats.

3. **Visitor Visibility**: Maintaining awareness of visitor locations on campus enables security teams to respond swiftly if an incident arises. For instance, knowing the number of family members in a maternity ward enhances situational awareness.

4. **Data-Driven Insights**: Analyzing visitor data, such as peak visiting times and patterns of recurring visitors, helps healthcare leaders identify safety trends and adapt policies accordingly.

5. **Vendor and Contractor Oversight**: Monitoring access for external workers, such as medical device representatives or maintenance personnel, ensures accountability and safety throughout sensitive areas of healthcare facilities.

Integrating visitor management into broader workplace safety strategies is essential. Elevating visitor oversight from a routine task to a vital layer of protection for staff, patients, and families is a critical step for healthcare organizations.

As violence in healthcare continues to rise, neglecting visitor management poses significant liabilities. Implementing these protocols is not merely about enforcing policies; it is a cultural shift that healthcare leaders must embrace to enhance staff safety and patient care.

In conclusion, effective visitor management can strengthen the healing environment, reassure staff, and provide better protection for patients. It must be a central pillar of workplace safety strategies in healthcare organizations moving forward.