Page 3 - HIPAA Guard Herald Aug and Sept 2018 e-Newsletter

HIPAA Guard H E R A L D
YOUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER ON SURVIVING HIPAA
#2 Visitor Access Restriction
Hospitals work hard to retain a good balance between providing an
open and welcoming environment for visitors and patients, while
having security measures in place to protect people and property. With
the constant, high number of people passing through the hospital
lobbies for various reasons such as a doctor’s appointment, a visit for
a laboratory test, visiting an admitted friend or relative, medical and
pharmaceutical sales representatives, supplies deliveries, and
employees moving from area to area, entering and exiting from various
doors – it can be nearly impossible to effectively manage all of this
activity without taking away some of the facility’s welcoming
environment. Thus the need for visitor access restrictions.
So the big question is raised, how do we manage visitor access to the
hospital’s facilities?
1. Maintaining a list of patient visitors help to enforce restriction to
certain visitors and prevents these Individuals access to a patient.
These decisions to restrict or limit presence must be discussed
with patient and adequately documented in the medical record.
2. Posting security personnel or gatekeepers in the lobby and at the
elevator entrance in every floor ensures safety of hospital staff
and patients most especially during night time.
ISSUE 09
Aug & Sept 2018
3. Having all of these documented in a policy and procedure so its
clear to everyone especially those involved in the security of
patient health information and facility physical security.
4. Signage and informational materials about the visitors access
restrictions must be communicated well to patients, families and
the community.
#3 Vendor and Visitor Sign in
Both vendors and visitors sign in prior to entering the patient care
rooms or any other locations within the facilities. Visiting family
members, friends or vendors should be directed to a mandatory
check-in a a visitor pass booth or at a reception desk at the lobby
where government-issued IDs are checked. Additionally, the best
practice would include a check on where is the visitor’s destination
and checking if the visitor is on the list of people whom the patient
does not want to see or has requested no visitors. With respect to
vendors, their entrance to the facility must be accompanied by the
following:
 Completion of privacy and security awareness training
 Signed confidentiality agreement or Business Associate
Agreement if the vendor is a BA
 Accompanied by an authorized representative of the facility
Similar to other visitors, vendors must also be on an appointment
basis only; especially those who work as sales representatives, thus
‘no cold calling’ shall be allowed.