Hospital auxiliary's 22nd Extravaganza will make infants, others more secure

By Julie Blum

COLUMBUS - Parents of newborns at Columbus Community Hospital will have an extra sense of safety with the addition of a Hugs Security System in the Maternal Child Health department.

The Hugs System is an electronic monitoring system. Diane Ward, director of the Maternal Child Health department, said all newborn babies are fitted with a band that monitors each child's whereabouts.

"The leader in infant security is the Hugs Security System. It is skin sensitive and computer-based," Ward said.

The band sends out an alert if a baby is moved too close to an exit. The doors, Ward said, will go into lock down to prevent a baby from being taken without authorization. The Maternal Child Health Department has two sets of double doors and a back exit.

A baby is fitted with a band when it is admitted and wears it throughout its stay. Because the band is skin sensitive, it cannot be removed without authorization, Ward said. If it is removed or cut off, an alert is given. Staff is able to take off the band once the baby is able to be discharged.

Ward said the system, which was added March 23, is an update to the what the hospital had previously.

"With our old system, you could cut off a band and walk out with a baby. This system tells you which baby was taken and what door it was taken out of," she said.

Even though a baby has never been taken from the hospital, the Hugs system gives parents an added sense of protection.
"Parents can't stay with their babies the whole time. They have to go to work or leave the hospital," Ward said.

The Hugs system was installed March 23. A similar system, the RoamAlert Security System, will also be added to the Acute Care Units to monitor dementia patients. Cookie Walsh, the director of Acute Care, said she hopes to have the system in place after May 1. The system also uses a band or a bracelet that can send an alert and lock down the doors if a patient tries to leave without permission.

The CCH Auxiliary is helping to pay for the cost of systems. All of the proceeds from the group's upcoming 22nd Annual Extravaganza will go toward funding the systems.

The Extravaganza will be held April 22 at Dusters. A social hour will be at 6 p.m., a presentation at 6:30 p.m. and a "Corpse, Scrutiny and Inquiry: CSI Columbus" Mystery Theatre is slated for 7 p.m. Tickets cost $20 and are available at Columbus Tour & Travel or by calling Annette Alt, volunteer coordinator at the hospital, at 562-3365. Columbus Tour & Travel and Lynette's Dance Studio are also sponsoring a $500 travel voucher to be given away that evening.

Donna Klopnieski, president of the auxiliary, said the group has a goal of raising $15,000 through the event. The auxiliary has 106 members. Those members help run the hospital's gift shop and hosts other fundraisers throughout the year including bake sales, book fairs and raffles, to help support the hospital.

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