NCH Health Systems began new security measures Monday at their two hospitals, in downtown Naples and North Naples. All outer doors - except for the main lobby and emergency room entrances - are locked off, and visitors must check in with security at those entrances to get temporary ID badges.
NCH Director of Security John Griffith said the new system will let them kow exactly who's coming and going. All visitors must show a photo ID to security when they arrive.
"It gives us a couple of minutes just to do a face-to-face with everyone coming in," Griffith said. "We print them out an ID badge. The process takes about 20 seconds."
Griffith said while the new measures aren't in response to any particular security concern, it's an important issue to hospital staff - who he said have been asking for such a system.
"We've gotten a lot of positive comments this morning, even from visitors coming into the hospital," Griffith said.
He said that visitors must get a new temporary ID badge each time they visit.
LeeHealth has a similar system - called Fast Pass - that has been in place since 2013.
