As of June 1, Northern Michigan Regional Hospital will no longer use color-coded wristbands to alert staff to specific patient conditions.

Color-coded patient alert wristbands were identified by the Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Patient Safety Organization as being inconsistent across the state of Michigan, presenting a potential safety risk caused by misinterpretation.

Northern Michigan Regional Hospital participated in a statewide MHA standardization taskforce to study this issue. Of the 112 hospitals across Michigan using a color-coded system, 72 have committed to either standardize or eliminate the practice.

Upon registration, patients will receive a white identification band. Jewelry and other wristwear will be discouraged, and all other health care facility bands will be removed. Specific inpatient units and blood banks may reband as necessary.

Northern Michigan Regional Hospital is a 243-bed regional referral center located in Petoskey, serving residents in 22 counties across northern Lower Michigan and the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula. A medical staff of nearly 200 physicians represents nearly all medical and surgical specialties, enabling full-service care with an emphasis on heart, cancer, orthopaedics, and neuroscience services. Additional information can be found at www.northernhealth.org.