Specifically, you should try to answer the following questions:

• What type of printer do you want to use and what wristband options does that leave? (including make/model)
• What LOS must the band endure?
• What type of closure do you want? (adhesive or clasp)
• Do you want to consolidate your alerts (including blood band) into a single wristband?
• How will you support re-banding patients? (i.e. re-printing bands)
• Which barcode symbology will you use? How much space does it require?
• What information will you be printing on the band? How much space does it require?
• How will you get that information to print out? Do you have IT or other resources
  to accomplish this? Do you need a tool to get that done?
• How will you create a band when the ADT system is down?
• Do you want to have one style of band in use throughout the hospital? Or would you rather have department-specific solutions?
  

Wristband Selection Committees Because wristbands impact so many departments within the facility, there are many individuals who should be brought into the decision-making process. Getting buy-in from key departments is critical for a new patient ID solution to be implemented smoothly and without resistance. Many hospitals have recognized this fact and they have created wristband selection committees to evaluate their alternatives. If you hospital is thinking about forming such a committee – or if you already have one but want to make sure you have all the impacted departments involved in the decision-making process – St. John can help ensure that you have all the information you need to evaluate the specific concerns and evaluation criteria each department will want to consider. We have had experience working with wristband selection committees at hospitals all over the country and have become experts at working with those committees to understand the unique needs at each hospital. Call us to see how we can help you establish a new committee or support an existing group. Since hospitals vary greatly in their reasons for implementing new patient ID, wristband committee leadership or membership may differ for your facility, but typical committee membership includes:

Nursing management Department-level nursing Maternity ICU’s Med-Surg Pediatrics Emergency Department Outpatient Departments

Information Technology / Information Systems Admitting Pharmacy Laboratory Blood Bank Purchasing Medical Records