After a few weeks with enhanced security screening, we are making a change for employees and providers entering with badges at screening sites. Starting the morning of Monday, Sept. 11, employees and providers who enter through screening site entrances will be screened.
Previously, badges were monitored and you could bypass screening.
To streamline your entry, we encourage you to enter buildings through alternate, badge-access entrances. When you enter through a badge-access entrance, do not allow patients and visitors to “tailgate” and enter behind you. Do not hold the door open for them — patients and visitors must enter through a security screening site.
On the Salem Hospital campus, patients and visitors will enter through one of these screening sites:
On the West Valley Hospital campus, patients and visitors will enter through one of these screening sites:
Please help direct patients and visitors to these screening entrances as we navigate the new security screening process.
Future changes will be announced here as we work through phases at all locations using our threat assessment based on volume, literature review and our SAFER matrix.
Here's the latest (as of Thursday, Sept. 7) about our enhanced security — new and updated questions are highlighted below:
Salem Health has been keenly aware of the potential risks we face. Escalating reports of violence against healthcare workers, including the tragedy at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center in Portland, have contributed to this heightened awareness — but we have been focused on preventing and addressing harmful words and actions for several months.
Earlier, we installed weapons detection at the Salem Hospital Emergency Department entrance, launched a new reporting system and conducted active shooter trainings across the organization. We are in the process of hiring full time security at our off-campus locations. We have hired a national security consultant to provide a fresh set of eyes for assessing risk.
Even with all these measures, the stark reality is that to protect everyone, we need to continue this work. In August, we assembled a task force to design and execute the first phase to prevent and eliminate weapons in our facilities.
There will be a multi-phase roll out of enhanced security across all Salem Health Hospitals and Clinics locations. Screening sites are live on both the Salem Hospital and West Valley Hospital campuses. We are problem-solving for next steps of weapons screening at clinics and other off-site locations.
On the Salem Hospital campus, all patients and visitors will enter through one of these screening sites:
On the West Valley Hospital campus, all patients and visitors will enter through one of these screening sites:
Building D – Creekside entrance off the main turnaround and Building B (main turnaround) are closed for entry and exit.
Public entrances and other badge access entrances will remain open, including Building B’s patient discharge door.
Use the skybridge to re-enter Building A, not the screening station. Staff re-entering Building A after they exit Creekside Dining are causing crowding and congestion at the screening station, which leads to patients and visitors slipping through without being screened. Security staff are requesting that employees use the skybridge to return to Building A. Let’s help remind each other!
Initially, we were facing significant resource constraints accessing both equipment and staff to execute security screening at every building, so we could only start with a few buildings. We briefly considered asking all patients and visitors to enter through a single entrance at the Emergency Department, but decided that was not realistic.
To establish the order in which we would launch screening, a threat assessment was completed based on volume, literature review and using our SAFER matrix. Since Aug. 11, we have launched screenings on the Salem Hospital campus at Building A — main, Building A — ED, and Buildings B, C, D and E, as well as on the West Valley Hospital campus at both the main (north) and ED entrances. We are problem solving for next steps of weapons screening at clinics and other off-site locations.
Please see answer above to "How did you decide the order of sites to start weapons detection screening at?”
The only change to parking is the patient ADA parking under Building A is closed. These patients will be accommodated with ADA spaces in the main parking garage.
We do not anticipate any parking changes for employees.
On the Salem Hospital campus, all patients and visitors will enter through one of these screening sites:
On the West Valley Hospital campus, all patients and visitors will enter through one of these screening sites:
Can patients or visitors enter anywhere else than the screening sites?
No. At this time, patients and visitors must enter through one of the screening sites:
With a few weeks of experience with the enhanced security screening process, we are making a necessary change for employees entering with badges at screening sites. Beginning the morning of Monday, Sept. 11, employees and providers who enter through screening site entrances will be screened. Previously, badges were monitored and you could bypass screening.
To streamline the process, everyone who enters at a screening site will now pass through the screening process. Employees with badge access are encouraged to enter buildings through alternate, badge-access entrances.
If you are exiting through a badge-only entrance, please do not allow non-badge holders to enter. Please direct them to the nearest screening site for their desired destination.
All Salem Health badge holders — employees, providers, students, volunteers and contractors — are asked to be mindful of others who may want to enter on your badge swipe. Please only allow others who have their badge displayed to enter with you. If a patient or visitor would like to enter with you, please inform them of our enhanced screening measures and direct them to the nearest public entrance for their desired destination. If necessary, consider walking with them to ensure their best experience in navigating new screening measures.
There are no additional visitor restrictions in place. Visitors will need to be prepared to comply with all security screening measures.
We recommend the following script, or something similar:
“Thank you for your patience today as we have added some new security measures for the overall safety of our hospital/clinic. I know it took some time to get through the security screening and I want you to know that you will not miss your appointment. You will still be able to be seen today. The staff is aware of the timing challenges today and we are all here to help. Thank you again for your patience and kindness. If there are any questions I can answer for you in the meantime, please let me know.”
We recommend sharing the following:
“Our weapons detection system is not a traditional metal detector and has not proven to cause any problems in these situations. However, if you have concerns, please share these with the security teams and they will accommodate your request for alternative screening.”
There will be multiple opportunities to check and adjust this work. Please do not hesitate to escalate your concerns to your one-up leader. Share this information at your huddles and encourage each other to check The Hub, our intranet homepage, for regular updates and security tips.
In the meantime: