Visitor screening kiosks rolled out at Hāwera Hospital

6 July 2022

Visitors to Hāwera Hospital will be asked to answer some simple health-related questions as part of Te Whatu Ora Taranaki’s screening project.

The initiative, which was piloted at Taranaki Base Hospital in New Plymouth at the beginning of the month, is designed to help prevent COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses from entering the hospital.

Te Whatu Ora Taranaki project sponsor Wendy Langlands said: “Screening visitors helps us protect our most vulnerable patients from the risk of an infection that may be dangerous for them.

“The feedback we have received is that the system is easy and straightforward to use, and that people are happy to do their bit to protect our staff and patients.”

“Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 at Base Hospital show how diligent we need to be to keep this virus out of our wards. We don’t want to have to ask visitors to stay away, so this is one approach that can allow people to support loved ones while reducing the risk.”

Visitors can also use their smart phones to answer the questions and log their visit by scanning the QR code on posters at the entrances.

“This capability makes it even easier for people to visit us and is especially useful for those who come to our sites regularly, either as a service user or visitor,” says Wendy. “It also simplifies the signing out process.”

Security guards will remain at entrances to help people, and information posters will advise and inform visitors about the screening process and why it is being implemented.