Colorado ID Law Starts June 1
Starting Monday, June 1, healthcare practitioners in Colorado will be required to verbally communicate their state-issued license, certificate, or registration when establishing a relationship during their first encounter with the patient. Caregivers must also wear visible identification that complies with our Intermountain Health badge policy.
Colorado SB25-152 “Know Your Healthcare Practitioner Act” applies to all healthcare practitioners providing services in a general hospital, urgent care center, ambulatory surgical center, or freestanding emergency department.
There are exceptions for when emergency circumstances make it impractical to complete the verbal introduction or when displaying your name could pose a risk to your safety (such as with a patient acting violently or irrationally).
Our current badge policy and standards comply with the law. You don’t need to request a new badge unless the information on your current badge is incorrect (e.g., wrong name, title, hospital). All caregivers should wear Intermountain-branded badges. Badges with the legacy SCL Health name and logo don’t comply with our badge policy.
Actions you should take
As you know, the first encounter with a patient builds the foundation for their relationship — not only with you but with Intermountain.
As a best practice, every caregiver who interacts directly with a patient should start with a clear, patient-centered introduction that includes your name, your role, and your license/certification/title.
The key requirement is transparency, so patients clearly understand your role and licensure. For example:
“Hi, I’m Dr. Jane Doe, and I’ll be your orthopedic surgeon.” Or “Hi, I’m Jane Doe, medical doctor, and I’ll be your surgeon today.”
“Good morning. I’m John Doe. I’m a nurse practitioner, and I’ll be partnering with you on your annual wellness exam today.”
We recommend documenting your initial introduction, whether by noting it in Epic or by using ambient listening when approved by the patient.