Conflicting security code colors about major events — such as bomb threats, fires, power outages and dangerous weather — may be resulting in poor coordination, delays in response and confusion for patients at healthcare facilities, according to an article on the Dallas News website.
The warning systems are undergoing new scrutiny as providers coordinate efforts to prepare for threats such as infectious diseases and mass casualty events.
In June, the Texas Hospital Association recommended that hospitals phase out cryptic color codes by replacing them with plain-language messages.
Instead of alerts like “code red” or “code black” they suggest the security alerts be more specific: “armed intruder on the fifth floor” or “suspicious package in the emergency room.”
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