It’s been just seven weeks since Pennsylvania’s new healthcare identification standards took effect on June 1, 2015. If you’re operating a healthcare facility in The Keystone State, this is an ideal time to review your practices and ensure you are fully compliant. According to the Pennsylvania Healthcare Association, HB 1482 states that employees must wear photo identification badges when working, that contain the following information:
- A recent photograph of the employee
- Employee’s name (first and last name)
- Name of the employee’s health care facility or employment agency
- Employee’s title:
- Must be as large as possible, in block type and occupy a one-half inch tall strip as close as possible to the bottom edge of the badge
- Title for a medical doctor or doctor of osteopathy should be “Physician,” title for a registered nurse should be “Registered Nurse,” etc.
Keep in mind that our Badge Buddies are the perfect solution for displaying an employee’s position, without having to create a new ID card. A badge buddy is a fully-laminated card with a bottom color bar where the person’s role is designated. It can be a vertical or horizontal format and hangs behind an existing ID badge. The Badge Buddy is attached into place by a strap clip, lanyard or badge reel.
In addition to the new Act, the interim regulation, which was published in December 2011 must still be followed. It stated that an employee’s photograph must be updated at least every four years. It also presented some exceptions to the requirements, which could be made if displaying personal information would pose a safety threat to the employee.
Not all states require healthcare workers to meet these identification standards. However, facilities across the nation might proactively implement similar guidelines, in anticipation of these becoming universal requirements in the healthcare industry. If you work for a medical facility, we’d love to hear your thoughts about Pennsylvania’s new regulations in the comments below.