How to maximise the effectiveness of your identification & access system

A well thought out and executed identification and access system can have a huge impact on site security and patient safety.

It’s important that funds invested in staff identification and access control is being used effectively to facilitate secure access for restricted areas and patient records, streamline processes, and provide patients with important information on who is providing their care.

Update your card design

The majority of healthcare facilities provide staff with some kind of identification card, whether it’s an in-house PVC card printing solution for those who value speed and convenience, or the work of an outsourced card production service to ease the burden of your internal resources.

Regardless of your chosen method, what’s most important to your staff, security and patients is how the card communicates the key information that is vital to them. Your ID card design is pivotal in this communication:

Role differentiation

Clear visual indicators that differentiate roles in your facility help patients to recognise their caregivers. This not only provides patients peace of mind in their vulnerable state, but also ensures they approach the caregiver who can provide what they need in particular circumstances.

The two biggest improvements that you can make is colour coding, and bold title text. If you’re printing your own cards, Card Exchange ID card software makes it easy to apply unique design templates for each staff role.

Clear photography

With high definition cameras becoming more and more affordable, don’t let a poor quality camera be the downfall of your ID system. A clear photograph can help verify card holder identity, which is vital in managing restricted areas and information.

Authentication features

Reduce the chance of ID replication with card authentication features including barcoding, generic and custom holographic overlay, microprint and UV print.

Enable these features and many more with ID Warehouse’s range of ID card printers, software and peripherals.

Choose the right accessories

There’s no use spending the time and effort getting your ID card just right only to have the card spend more time flipped over, than doing its job. And what about hygiene considerations?

No-flip accessories

No-flip card holders use spaced holes to discourage a badge from spinning when worn with a dual clip lanyard. Twist-free retractable card holders have a unique fixed retractor design to that keeps ID cards facing forward.

Healthcare lanyards

Cloth may not always be the most practical solution in a healthcare environment. ID Warehouse’s healthcare range is made of PVC for quick and easy disinfecting. The lanyards also have a unique design with a shorter length and can be clipped to clothing to prevent contamination.

Educate staff and patients

Now you've got your staff clearly identified, it’s just as vital to educate all parties on who is who and what they do at your facility. Your specific operating procedures can be better supported if everyone shares the same vision, resulting in efficiency improvements for staff-patient interactions.

Signs can be a great tool to reinforce staff responsibilities and corresponding identification guidelines. ID Warehouse offers fully-customised signs in a variety of quality materials and options.

Combine your card technologies

Quite often healthcare workers carry around multiple cards, resulting in additional administration and expense. Most commonly there are access cards, visual identification cards, as well as more advanced SMART card technology that can facilitate rights to computer systems and shared electronic records.

ID Warehouse can supply cards that are encoded to your access and computer system specifications as well as customised to suit your visual identification requirements.

Close the gap on contractors and visitors

When it comes to identification and access control, the major gap that many fail to consider is visitors and contractors.

With national OHS harmonisation moving the healthcare industry towards an integrated worker-based system with employer accountability for both staff and contractors, bringing your visitor management system up to speed with your staff system is now more important than ever.

PassagePoint electronic visitor management enhances site security, access control and identification procedures by providing a secure and efficient way to manage visitors.

You can easily verify identity, register visits, provide photo ID, electronically track and report on contractor and visitor activity at your site from when they arrive to when they leave, closing the gap in site security.

To speak to an ID Warehouse customer solutions representative about your identification needs, contact us on 1300 301 748.