Scottsbluff, NE - On December 1, Regional West Medical Center will move forward with a campaign for patient and employee safety. Called Controlled Access, this program will increase safety at Regional West by limiting the number of unlocked doors leading to key patient areas. The next area to implement controlled access will be the emergency room.

Beginning December 1, visitors to the emergency department will only be allowed to enter the emergency department after visual confirmation and manual unlocking of the door. Restricting access to the emergency department is a security measure intended to protect against unauthorized entry, especially by individuals who may become combative or dangerous. It will also help to protect privacy by keeping out those who do not have a specific need for entrance. Legitimate visitors such family members and loved ones will still be welcome if the condition of the patient’s health permits. “We think both staff and patients will be more comfortable knowing that they are safe behind locked doors,” says Susan Cozine, Director of ICU/ED/CCU and Air Link.

After securing the emergency department, Regional West will continue, over the coming months, with a systematic plan to secure other sensitive areas of the hospital. “Access to the most commonly visited areas of the hospital will remain open under normal circumstances, and most people coming here probably will not even notice the changes. What’s important is that we will have the ability to restrict access to sensitive areas at all times and to other areas as security circumstances demand,” says Mike McCoy, security supervisor. “In light of the events like 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, hospitals across the country have had to review their security procedures and prepare for all eventualities.”

Regional West Health Services, with over 1,800 employees, provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people and communities of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota and Wyoming. With over 110 active physicians, 95 percent of whom are board certified or board eligible, plus an additional 25 consulting specialists, we offer care that spans more than 30 medical specialties. Regional West Medical Center, a subsidiary of Regional West Health Services, is accredited by The Joint Commission and is one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state of Nebraska.