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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | April 28, 2022 12:14 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Tim Twardzik |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | "A Simple Prescription for Better Healthcare ID's" |
| Soon, I will be introducing legislation to amend the requirement for photo I.D. badges in health care facilities to allow health systems and registered names with the Department of State to be used on these badges. In 2010, the General Assembly enacted Act 110, which set forth requirements for photo identification tags, i.e., photo I.D. badges. Under Act 110, a photo I.D. badge is required to contain the name of either the health care facility where the employee works or the name of the employment agency that placed the employee. Health systems and other entities were not specifically listed. It recently came to my attention that a hospital in my district was cited by the Department of Health for failing to comply with this law, because the staffs’ photo ID badges – which provide the staff member’s name, his/her role, and the health system’s name – do not also include the name of the licensed facility. This is problematic for several reasons. First, the staff members are not employed by the hospital, so, it could be argued they are not covered by this law. Second, even if they are covered, they would need to include the name of the licensed facility, rather than the system or campus, even though multiple sites may be included within the same license. This was the first time that this provider has received deficiency notices for this alleged violation, even though the law’s relevant provisions have been in place since 2010. The health system’s name badges are “smart badges,” and the health system cannot readily obtain new badges given supply chain issues. Even if new badges were available, replacements could cost more than $100,000, which is wasteful. Finally, many staff members travel to multiple campuses, so the staff would need to have multiple badges with the name of each licensed entity, rather than the name of the system. The current requirements under this law do not reflect the realities of a modern health care system, and my legislation would cure these problems by allowing badges to include the name health system or a fictitious name registered with the Department of State, in addition to what is currently allowed under the law. In the end, the intent of this law was to provide notice to patients and other individuals regarding the employee and to whom they were employed. Whether the health care facility or the health system is listed is irrelevant. Rather, what is important is that the I.D. provides adequate information to ensure that the individual works in a proper capacity for the health care provider. I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB2604