Why pandemic-initiated safety protocols are here to stay

The pandemic drove healthcare providers and vendors to take an even closer look at facility entrances: who enters a facility, how they come in, and how they leave. On a typical, pre-pandemic day, vendors would plan a visit, verify their identity, enter the facility, and receive a compliant badge—often via a credentialing kiosk. Until registration was complete and all requirements fulfilled, vendor representatives weren’t authorized to do business with the hospital. However, enforcement was sometimes inconsistent across facilities, departments, vendor entities, and representatives. 

Then, COVID-19 hit and heightened public awareness of safety protocols. Healthcare facilities were acutely aware of the need to consistently enforce protocols for verifying who was in a building at a given time. In response, mobile COVID-19 health screening apps became part of the procedure, integrating with credentialing kiosks to provide healthcare facilities with a consistent approach to creating safer spaces for patients, providers, visitors, and vendors. 

This is an excerpt from members-only content. Please log in or become a member to access the full content.