Healthcare ID standardization has come to Pennsylvania
Are your customers compliant with HB 1482 (2010)?
On June 1, 2015, Pennsylvania’s healthcare ID standardization regulations went into full effect. Make sure your customers are prepared!
- Employee ID badges must meet specific requirements
- Applies to all employees who provide direct care to patients
- Offer your customers tools from Brady People ID to get compliant
Pennsylvania House Bill 1482 (2010) set a number of standards for healthcare ID badges. We’ve been keeping track of the legislation for quite some time, and while the law has been in the works for years, it just went into full effect on June 1, 2015. Are your customers asking questions? Brady People ID is here to help.
What is PA HB 1482 (2010) and what does it mean for your customers?
Pennsylvania House Bill 1482 of 2010 is a law setting specific regulations for healthcare employee ID badges. These regulations apply to all workers directly caring for patients both inside and outside of healthcare facilities. Among other reasons, these regulations were put in place to make it easier for patients to identify who is caring for them in crowded, busy healthcare environments.
Interim regulations for certain personnel went into effect months ago, but the law went into full effect for all healthcare personnel as of June 1, 2015. Some customers may have been unaware of the pending changes, leading to partners getting questions from these customers at the last minute.
What are the ID requirements to satisfy HB 1482 (2010)?
The bill sets forth a number of specific requirements, the first being that an ID credential must be worn by all healthcare personnel, unless it is unsafe to do so. To be compliant with HB 1482 (2010), that credential must feature:
- A photograph of the employee, which is to be updated once every four years
- The full name of the employee
- The title of the employee
- The name of the hospital, healthcare facility or employment agency
The employee’s title is among the most significant portions of the bill, as it has its own set of specific requirements. According to the bill, the employee’s title must:
- “Be as large as possible in block type”
- “Occupy a one-half inch tall strip” at the bottom of or below the ID badge
- Use specific titles, like “Physician” for a medical doctor and “Registered Nurse” for a registered nurse
- Other titles like x-ray technician, lab technician and physician’s assistant can be determined by the department
Badge Buddies from Brady People ID: The perfect HB 1482 (2010) solution
Most partners will find that their healthcare customers already have some type of ID credential, usually with a name, photo and the organization’s name. Adding the title is the tricky part, and completely rebadging every employee just to add a title may be more than an organization is willing to do. Give your customers a better solution by offering Badge Buddies role-recognition cards from Brady People ID!
Badge Buddies are made of a durable, plastic-type material called Teslin® that will stand up to the rigors of daily use in an active environment. Badge Buddies are available in both horizontal and vertical orientations and are designed to be attached to an existing slotted ID credential: 
the ID badge is attached to the Badge Buddy with a strap clip and hangs in front of the blank portion of the Badge Buddy to leave the bold title text clearly visible.
Badge Buddies are the perfect HB 1482 (2010) solution for a number of reasons:
- Flexible Badge Buddies are available with several different printed titles and can be ordered with custom titles as well. Your customers will appreciate the ability to order different colors, orientations and titles, providing them with maximum convenience.
- Visible To satisfy the major requirement of HB 1482 (2010), Badge Buddies use large, bold letters to spell out an employee’s title. The title is surrounded by vibrant color as well, making it even more legible. Titles are designed to be readable from a distance away, making it easy for patients to identify who is caring for them.
- Durable The material that makes up Badge Buddies is more durable than standard PVC. Healthcare facilities are active environments, meaning the Badge Buddies will be exposed to plenty of wear-and-tear. Your customers will appreciate their Badge Buddies standing up to the rigors of daily use without bending, cracking or fading.
- Affordable Help your customers save money! Issuing Badge Buddies to employees is far more cost-effective than issuing an entirely new badge to everyone.
Do your customers want to overhaul their badging program? We can help!
We anticipate that many healthcare facilities will be able to meet the needs of HB 1482 (2010) with Badge Buddies, but some may want to issue completely new badges. If that’s the case, Brady People ID has our partners covered! We carry a number of products perfect for assisting your customers in creating new badging operations, including:
