Or. Admin. Code § 309-106-0030

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 12, December 1, 2024

Section 309-106-0030 - [Effective 1/14/2025] Visitor Security Inspection and Screening

(1) Visitors must be processed through a security checkpoint to access the visitation area in the secure perimeter to protect the safety and security of the hospital. Security staff or direct care staff must screen all visitors, including visual inspection, metal detection screening, and pat-downs.

(2) Lockers may be provided for visitors' use to store purses, carrying cases, or other personal items until the visit is over.

(3) A visitor may be asked to submit to a security inspection or pat-down but may deny consent for the search. If the visitor denies or withdraws consent for the search at any time, visitation will be denied and any search must be immediately discontinued..

(4) Prior to entering the secure perimeter and prior to visitation, all visitors, including attorneys, investigators, and psychologists or other professionals hired by the patient or attorney, must undergo security screening, including minors and service animals. For most visitors, successfully completing security screening and the related inspection of clothing and authorized items will alleviate the need for a pat-down.

(5) Visitors are subject to a security inspection (visual inspection, metal detection screening, and wanding) prior to entering the secure perimeter of the hospital. Security inspections are conducted as follows:

(a) Visitors must be in a single or base level of clothing. All additional items such as hats, gloves, coats, multiple layers of shirts, extra socks and shoes must be removed. Visitors must turn out their pockets, and their sleeves and cuffs must be unrolled.

(b) Visitors may be asked to remove body piercings or excessive jewelry to expedite the screening process. Excessive jewelry, areas of the body that have body piercings or undergarments with metal clasps or adjusters often alarm metal detectors and may delay or even prevent visiting.

(c) For wanding, visitors must stand with legs approximately shoulder-width apart and their arms outstretched.

(d) Visitors are required to cooperate with the instructions of security staff or direct care staff in order to facilitate the security inspection process, such as requests to turn out pockets, unroll cuffs, or turn around. If visitors do not cooperate, the visit must terminate.

(6) Visitors with a medical device such as a pacemaker, defibrillator, device that operates under magnetic calibration, metal implants, wheelchair, bone growth stimulator, or other internal or external medical device) should check with their doctor prior to arriving at OSH to determine if it is safe to go through the metal detection screening. Depending on their doctor's recommendations, the visitor must include that information in their visitor application or provide an update to OSH if discovered after the application is submitted.

(7) Visitors who are exempt from metal detection screening include those persons who have provided OSH in their visitor application approved documentation of a metal condition or medical device or equipment in or upon their person. If a person is exempt from metal detection screening, a pat-down must be conducted prior to entry into the secure perimeter for visitation.

(a) All pre-disclosed and approved medication, medical devices and equipment, and service animals must be searched prior to visitation.

(b) A modified search will be used for visitors requiring wheelchairs or electric scooters as the reliability of hand-held metal detectors is limited by the structure of the chair or scooter. Visitors in wheelchairs or electric scooters must limit their accessories and personal possessions to only those items medically necessary and allowed within these rules during visitation.

(8) If metal detection screening alerts to the presence of metal, or security staff or direct care staff suspect the presence of contraband, security staff or direct care staff must investigate with a pat-down.

(9) Pat-downs must be conducted as follows:

(a) A minimum of two OSH staff members, comprised of either security staff or direct care staff, must conduct pat-downs.

(b) The security staff or direct care staff member making physical contact with the visitor to conduct the pat-down must be the same sex as the visitor. If visitor expresses a preference for a staff member of their same gender identity to conduct the pat-down, a security staff or direct care staff member of that gender identity must conduct the pat-down. However, if a security staff or direct care staff member of the visitor's preferred sex or gender identity is not immediately available to conduct the pat-down, then a security staff or direct care staff member, who is not the visitor's preferred sex or gender identity, may conduct the pat-down with the visitor's consent. If the visitor does not consent, the visit must terminate. Other security staff or direct care staff, who are involved in the pat-down but who are not making physical contact with the visitor, do not need to be the visitor's preferred sex or gender identity.

(c) Visitors must be wearing a single or base level of clothing. All additional items such as hats, gloves, coats, multiple layers of shirts, extra socks and shoes must be removed. Visitors must turn out their pockets, and sleeves and cuffs must be unrolled.

(d) Visitors must stand with legs approximately shoulder-width apart and their arms outstretched.

(e) Pat-downs must be conducted within view of the camera surveillance system.

(f) Visitors are required to cooperate with the instructions of security staff or direct care staff to facilitate the pat-down process, such as requests to turn out pockets, unroll cuffs, shake out their clothing, or turn around. If the visitors do not want to cooperate, then the visit must terminate.

(10) Visitors who bring in service animals will be subject to the following requirements:

(a) Visitors must be responsible to ensure that the service animal is properly controlled and behaved at all times.

(b) Visitors may be asked the following in relation to the service animal:

(A) If the animal is required because of a disability; and

(B) What work or task the animal has been trained to perform.

(c) Visitors are required to remove any apparel or other item the service animal is wearing so that security staff or direct care staff may search the item prior to entry into the secure perimeter of the hospital;

(d) Patients are not allowed to touch service animals.

(e) A visitor will not be asked to remove the service animal from the premises unless:

(A) The animal is out of control and the visitor does not take effective action to control it; or

(B) The animal is not housebroken.

(f) Where there is a legitimate reason to ask that the service animal to be removed, staff shall offer the visitor the opportunity to visit without the animal's presence, if the visitor can arrange to have the animal removed and cared for and controlled outside of the secure perimeter. Under no circumstances may a staff person remove or care for the animal.

(11) If illicit contraband is found on a visitor or in their property at any time, including hidden in their prescription medication, or medical devices or equipment, security staff or direct care staff must confiscate the item and contact law enforcement. OSH must also:

(a) Create a chain of custody and hold the illicit contraband in a secure area; and

(b) Contact law enforcement and turn over the illicit contraband if law enforcement is willing to accept the item(s), and document the action taken. If law enforcement declines to investigate further or accept the illicit contraband, then dispose of the illicit contraband in the presence of at least two OSH staff and document the action taken.

(12) Any approved item entering visitation with a child or other visitor will be searched during the screening process by security staff. Security staff shall search the additional items approved for minor visits or other visitors who had been pre-approved to bring medications, medical devices or equipment into the secure perimeter upon exit to ensure they are exiting with the visitor.

Or. Admin. Code § 309-106-0030

BHS 18-2024, temporary adopt filed 07/19/2024, effective 7/19/2024 through 1/14/2025; BHS 18-2024, temporary adopt filed 07/19/2024, effective 7/19/2024 through 1/14/2025; BHS 28-2024, adopt filed 11/13/2024, effective 1/14/2025

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 179.040, 413.042 & 179.360

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 179.321 & 426.385