Glens Falls Hospital will be taking steps to further protect our patients, visitors, and staff by implementing a visitor management program.
The program will be rolling out throughout August and September and will work to improve the safety, security, comfort, and accommodations of people who come to the hospital, officials said.
To support the initiative, the hospital security team will be stationed at all the public entrances in use by patients and visitors. These security officers will act as greeters, supporting access and giving directions, as well as check-in for visitors.
“This program will improve the security at Glens Falls Hospital,” said Paul Scimeca, chief operating officer. “We need to ensure that our patients are receiving the highest quality of care in the safest environment and the visitor management program will allow us to further protect and welcome everyone who visits our campus.”
Officials said that when a patient or visitor comes to Glens Falls Hospital, they will need to enter through one of the four main public entry points. These locations include the tower entrance, west entrance, Pruyn Pavilion entrance, and the Emergency Department entrance. All other entrances will not be accessible to visitors.
Patients coming to the GI Center will continue to enter directly to this area with the entrance at the rear of the campus, accessible from School Street.
When a visitor enters the building, they will check in at the security station at the door by providing a photo ID and informing them who they are there to visit. Security will then print out a visitor badge that includes the visitor’s name, photo, and what floor they will be visiting.
Hospital officials said the program was rolled out on Aug. 15 at the tower entrance which is open 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. The visitor management system is located at the main desk in the Lobby.
It will be rolled out on Wednesday, Aug. 29 at the west entrance. Visitor management will be extended to the Lobby. A podium will be set up at the rear of the lobby, past the patient access desks. Visitors will be given a sticker while patients who have been to patient access will continue to their destination. This entrance will be open Monday through Friday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. After 6 p.m. and on weekends, this entrance will be closed and visitors and patients will be re-directed to the tower entrance.
On Wednesday, Sept. 12, visitor management will be extended to the Pruyn Pavilion Entrance. Included in this phase is the consolidation of the two existing entrances of the Pruyn Pavilion and the Community Learning Center.
The new single entrance will be located in front of the Community Learning Center, and be called the Pruyn Pavilion entrance. The existing Pruyn Pavilion entrance will be closed. Valet parking will be re-located to the new consolidated entrance.
A podium will be set up at the entrance to support visitor management. This entrance will be opened Monday-Friday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. After 6 p.m., the entrance will be closed. If an event is scheduled in the Community Learning Center after 6 p.m., arrangements will be made to keep the entrance open and staffed by security.
On Wednesday, Sept. 26 visitor management will begin in the Emergency Department, with each patient being issued one/two visitor badges as appropriate by the patient access staff. This will assist in limiting visitors in the patient care area of the department.
Vendors and deliveries will also be directed to their appropriate entrances.
“Our security team is ready to assist patients and visitors coming to the hospital campus,” said Scimeca. “We recognize the process for visitors is different and may present a slight delay. However, the security of our patients, staff, and visitors is our primary concern.”