The way you enter hospitals in Saskatchewan’s major cities will be changing.

Depending on the location, you may be asked to pass through a metal detector before entering the emergency room.

A new metal detection system aimed at reducing violence and weapons in emergency departments will be introduced to hospitals in Saskatoon and Regina.

This comes after a successful metal detection pilot program at the joint emergency department entrance at Royal University Hospital and Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital.

The Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) did not specify to CBC when the program would be launching or which hospitals would receive the metal detectors.

In a statement, the SHA told CBC News that they are committed to supporting the safety and security of emergency departments and hospitals for patients, visitors and health-care teams.

“By adding this technology, it adds another layer of security,” David Musyj, supervisor at the London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ont., told CBC.

The London Health Sciences Centre has successfully implemented the use of AI metal detection technology in its hospital, he says.

Some experts say metal detectors aren’t the solution for stopping weapons and violence being used in hospitals, but combined with other security measures, can prevent dangerous situations from arising.

“When you add it on to security guards, cameras, panic alarms for staff, Musyj said.

“You add all those things together, they reduce or eliminate the risk of injury to staff or other patients.”

The SHA told CBC that it would reveal more information on the initiative in the days to come.