OSF HealthCare is piloting seven new thermal touchless scanning tools it has purchased for select locations, including four at OSF HealthCare Little Company of Mary Medical Center. Others will be set up at Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee, St. Mary Medical Center in Galesburg and the OSF HealthCare Cardiovascular Institute in Peoria.
The scanner will be used to safely screen and check in patients and visitors under the month-long pilot that kicks off this week. The scanning device is easy to use and disinfect and will replace the current manual temperature scanning and verbal COVID-19 symptom checking process.
Automating the screening will free up Mission Partners (employees) for other critical needs or activities to ensure a great experience for our patients and guests. The new devices are touchless, with individuals looking directly into the circle on the device screen. The temperature scan takes place in less than one second. The devices each include a printer for printing visitor access badges, upon receiving approval to enter the building.
“We routinely look at best practices and process improvement. We know during this pandemic we needed to streamline check-in and decrease the time it takes for visitors to enter as well as the time they have to spend in close proximity to our staff, so we can keep everyone safe,” said AJ Querciagrossa, CEO, Metro Region.
Those who have elevated temperature will be notified discreetly and provided additional guidance. The goal is to prevent anyone who might potentially have the virus from entering the building, putting others at risk.
“Since the start of the pandemic, OSF HealthCare has employed digital tools to allow us to safely deliver care, according to Querciagrossa, We appreciate how our patients have embraced those options and hope they’ll do so with this latest, new technology designed to keep them confident about visiting our locations.”