Hospital implements updated alerts

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Hudson Hospital & Clinics has implemented a new standardized set of clear language codes — emergency alerts — recommended by the Wisconsin Hospital Association. Emergency alerts address all key emergency situations, including fire alarms, severe weather, security alerts, first responder and mass casualty.

Prior to this new system, each local hospital in Wisconsin had its own set of alerts and they were all different. As Hudson Hospital & Clinics works more closely with local and partnering hospitals, implementing standardized emergency alerts across all healthcare facilities is beneficial to healthcare providers and patients.

For example, if you are in the hospital or visiting a patient when a “code” is called, you may hear one of these clear language codes announced overhead: fire alarm replaces Code Red; adult medical emergency replaces Code Blue; pediatric medical emergency replaces Code White; missing person replaces Code Pink; severe weather replaces Code Green; mass casualty replaces Code Triage; security alert building threat replaces Code Yellow; and security alert internal threat replaces Code Silver.

Implementing standardized emergency alert codes across all Wisconsin hospitals provides continuity and better communication. Uniformity in emergency codes enables health care providers who work in multiple organizations to respond consistently and appropriately to emergencies, enhancing safety to patients, visitors and themselves. Communication among hospitals and other agencies in a specific geographic region during an emergency can be enhanced when there is a common language.

Tags: announcements, health, wisconsin