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SALT LAKE CITY — Beginning Monday, visitors to Primary Children's Medical Center will be required to show a picture ID to get inside.
"We don't want to wait for something to happen and then wish we'd have had a better system in place," said Jason Carlton, a spokesman for the hospital. He said it has always been their official duty to ensure that patients are safe.
Easy Lobby, the new computerized parent and visitor check-in program, will allow security officials at the hospital to track who is coming and going. Anyone wishing to visit an inpatient area of the hospital will be required to show photo identification. Outpatient and clinic areas will not be as tightly monitored.
We don't want to wait for something to happen and then wish we'd have had a better system in place.
–Jason Carlton
"Due to the volatile society we live in today, it is our responsibility to ensure the safety of all those who enter Primary Children's," said Mike Creason, assistant administrator for security at Primary Children's. "The Easy Lobby program will help us to know who is in our facility visiting our most vulnerable patient population, which is typically found in our inpatient areas."
Primary Children's has been looking to upgrade its security system for a couple years and has been perusing various models. The new system was not prompted by any particular incident, Carlton said, but was instituted as a precaution and added protection for patients. It will flag visitors needing the extra attention of security personnel.
Most children's hospitals throughout the United States employ similar programs to check in parents and visitors, including Seattle Children's Hospital and the Children's Hospital in Denver in the immediate region.
Email:wleonard@ksl.com
