University of Maryland Shore Regional Health Launches VisitUMMS Visitor Management Program Across All Hospital Campuses

University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH), a member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System, is implementing VisitUMMS, a new visitor management program designed to enhance safety, improve the visitor experience and provide greater awareness of who is in our facilities at any given time. Developed by the University of Maryland Medical System's Center for Technology Innovation specifically for healthcare environments, VisitUMMS has already been successfully implemented at multiple UMMS hospitals.

The system will be introduced at Shore Medical Center at Easton on August 10, followed by Shore Medical Center at Chestertown on August 17, Shore Medical Center at Cambridge on August 19 and the Emergency Center at Queenstown on August 20.

"As healthcare continues to evolve, so do the expectations around safety and security for patients, visitors and team members," said Ken Kozel, President of University of Maryland Shore Regional Health. "VisitUMMS is another important investment in creating a welcoming environment while ensuring that everyone who enters our facilities can receive care, visit loved ones or work in the safest environment possible."

Upon arrival and check-in, visitors will be asked to present a government-issued photo identification and have their photograph taken before receiving a visitor badge. The system is fully integrated with the electronic medical record, allowing care teams and front desk staff to communicate visitor information, designated support person status and any patient-specific information in real time. Visitors will also be encouraged to check out when leaving the facility to help maintain an accurate awareness of who is in the building.

The implementation of VisitUMMS reflects UM Shore Regional Health's commitment to its High Reliability journey, reinforcing a culture focused on safety, situational awareness and continuous improvement. The system also strengthens emergency preparedness by providing more accurate visitor information should an emergency occur.

Helping Patients Prepare for Their Visit

As part of these ongoing efforts to strengthen safety, security personnel are dedicated to responsibilities that directly support the protection of patients, visitors and staff, including visitor management, monitoring facility access and emergency response. Keeping security personnel focused on these critical responsibilities helps ensure they are available to respond quickly when needed. Patients who require assistance getting to appointments or navigating our facilities are encouraged to plan ahead by bringing a family member, friend or other care partner to accompany them during their visit.

Wheelchairs will continue to be available at designated entrances for those who need them. Patients who require assistance operating a wheelchair or navigating the facility are encouraged to arrive with someone who can assist them whenever possible.

UM Shore Regional Health recognizes that not every patient has a family member or friend available to accompany them to appointments. Patients who anticipate needing assistance and will be visiting on their own are encouraged to contact their care location before their appointment. Care teams will be happy to discuss available support services and help patients plan for a successful visit.

Emergency and urgent medical needs will continue to receive immediate attention from the appropriate clinical teams.

"Our goal is to provide exceptional care in an environment where patients, visitors and team members feel both welcome and safe," Kozel added. "We appreciate the partnership of our community as we continue making improvements that support both patient experience and the security of everyone who enters our facilities."

About University of Maryland Shore Regional Health

A member organization of the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), University of Maryland Shore Regional Health (UM SRH) is the principal provider of comprehensive health care services for more than 170,000 residents of five counties on Maryland's Eastern Shore: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne's and Talbot. UM SRH consists of approximately 2,000 team members, including more than 600 health care providers on the Medical Staff, who work with community partners to advance the values that are foundational to our mission: Compassion, Discovery, Excellence, Diversity and Integrity. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org/shore.

About the University of Maryland Medical System

The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) is an academic private health system, focused on delivering compassionate, high quality care and putting discovery and innovation into practice at the bedside. Partnering with the University of Maryland School of Medicine and University of Maryland, Baltimore who educate the state's future health care professionals, UMMS is an integrated network of care, delivering 25 percent of all hospital care in urban, suburban and rural communities across the state of Maryland. UMMS puts academic medicine within reach through primary and specialty care delivered at 11 hospitals, including the flagship University of Maryland Medical Center, the System's anchor institution in downtown Baltimore, as well as through a network of University of Maryland Urgent Care centers and more than 150 other locations in 13 counties. For more information, visit https://www.umms.org.