MONTREAL – McGill University’s Health Centre (MUHC) is taking steps to improve safety and efficiency in hospitals in the form of a new machine that provides a special badge for vendors.
According to Michelle Floh, CEO of Vendorlink, the Canadian company that makes the machines, the badge provides a substantial amount of information.
“It has my picture, which allows any frontline staff to validate that I am credentialed and I am allowed to be in the hospital.”
The idea is to standardize accreditation for all vendors who visit hospitals as part of their work, of which there are many. This includes people from varying industries.
“From medical to construction, pharmaceutical reps, there are people who repair things, people who deliver things,” said Paul Harmat, director of procurement at the MUHC.
Vendors can go online and fill out a series of questions and then come to the hospital and get a pass printed up right away, as long as their profile fits the MUHC’s criteria.
“This machine is very similar as when you board a plane,” said Floh.
“You go to the website, you register your information, but guess what? You have to get a boarding pass. This is your boarding pass,” she said, proudly holding up her freshly printed badge.
- Shoppers faces proposed class action over claims company is ‘abusive’ to pharmacists
- ‘Bacterial vampirism’: Deadly pathogens attracted to human blood, study finds
- Most Canadian youth visit dentists, but lack of insurance a barrier
- Bird flu risk to humans an ‘enormous concern,’ WHO says. Here’s what to know
Over the course of a given year, the MUHC works with approximately 2,000 vendor companies. This new system represents a big change for how those companies interact within the hospital organization.
“It’s appreciated by the staff because we know exactly who is circulating in the operating rooms,” said Patrice Senecal, a nurse manager at the Royal Vic.
Vanessa Panneton is a vendor who’s experience with the machine has been positive so far.
“We just go along on our way,” she said, “as we used to, and meet with the people we need to. It’s just recorded so that they are aware of who’s in the area and what their reason for being there is.”
The hospital calls it good news for patients, but there are some issues, according to Paul Brunet, a patients’ rights advocate.
“More safety will be appearing in the premises,” he said, “but how about consulting the patients and the Users Committee? I’m not sure the Users Committee has been consulted.”
The MUHC, however, is confident that it has the best interests of everyone in mind.
“What we’re trying to achieve is something very important – identification for everyone, respecting of the credentials and in the end protecting our staff and patients most importantly,” said Harmat.
Comments