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New badges to increase safety, efficiency
New ID badges are coming soon for all BWH employees, medical staff, researchers, volunteers and vendors because the hospital is upgrading its card readers and adopting a color-coding system for badges.
Smart Cards Offer Increased Security, Better Technology
“We’re getting proximity smart cards that you hold up to a card reader, rather than swiping your badge as we currently do, to gain access to certain areas,” said Security and Parking Director Robert Chicarello. “We’ll be replacing each of the more than 300 card readers at BWH over the next few months, and new card readers will also be installed in the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center.”
Security will announce when new ID badges are available. The rebadging effort is expected to get underway in early 2008, and at that time, a process will be established for all BWHers to get a new photo taken and a new ID badge.
During the re-badging timeframe, employees will receive dual technology cards, which can be swiped through the existing readers and also will have the smart chips needed to work with the new readers. “These cards allow us to bridge old and new technology until we can install the new readers,” Chicarello said. “After the readers are installed, new employees just beginning will receive single technology cards that have the smart chips.”
Once the re-badging initiative kicks off, you are encouraged not to delay in getting your new badge—and once the new readers are fully installed across the distributed campus, anyone who did not get a new ID badge will not be able to access areas with card readers.
Color-Coded for Safety
Even those who do not have ID badges that gain access to certain areas will be required to get a new badge with an updated photograph. The badges will feature larger font for text and bigger ID photos.
All badges will be color-coded to enhance safety. “Color-coding badges will clear up confusion about who is a licensed and credentialed physician at this hospital,” said Allison Moriarty, compliance officer in the Office of Research Compliance. “Many people who have ‘MD’ on their badges are not necessarily credentialed at BWH, and this can lead to confusion by both staff and patients on the floors.”
Physicians who are licensed and credentialed here will have a green stripe on the new ID badges so they can be quickly identified.
All other employees and volunteers will have color-coded badges as well. Volunteers will have orange, Connors Center staff will have pink, vendors and contractors will have yellow and all others will have blue.
Stay tuned for information on when re-badging will begin.