Smile! UHS Wilson Snapping Photos of Hospital Visitors
New security procedures have been put into place at Wilson Medical Center in Johnson City.
The hospital implemented a policy of issuing visitor passes on Monday.
The requirement applies to all hospital visitors, including outpatients, vendors, persons visiting patient rooms and other hospital departments.
Visitors must provide a driver's license or other government-issued identification to be scanned. Photos will be taken of visitors who don't have an acceptable ID.
Temporary passes will be issued showing a visitor's image, the unit they are heading to and the date.
People entering Wilson Medical Center Wednesday morning waited in a line at an entrance to receive visitor passes.
According to a United Health Services statement, the visitor pass requirement is scheduled to be implemented at Binghamton General Hospital July 1.
Both hospitals are reducing the number of entrances available to the public as part of the enhanced security measures.
A spokeswoman for Lourdes Hospital in Binghamton said visitor pass requirements are not being considered at this time. She said eventually a single entrance is expected to be open for visitor access to the hospital.
Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com
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