Visitor & Support Person Guidelines
Visitors must check in at the hospital main entrance and obtain a visitor badge. Visitors must wear their hospital issued badge for the entirety of their visit. Visitor badges will identify the floor and room number of the patient being visited. Visitors must check in with nursing prior to visiting the patient.
Visiting Hours
Visitation is generally encouraged between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily to allow admitted patients time to rest and recover, however patient preference and clinical issues may dictate more open or more restricted visitation.
Due to the sensitivity of specific patient populations, there are two units with specified times for visitation. These units have area specific visitation policies:
- Inpatient mother/baby unit visitation hours are from 12-2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m. daily.
- Inpatient behavioral health unit visitation hours are from 4-7 p.m. daily.
It is at the discretion of the clinical team to support visitation before or after the general visitation hours.
Birth partners, parents of patients under 18, attorneys of patients, and companions for individuals with intellectual and/or physical disabilities designated as “Support Person(s)” are allowed unrestricted access to the patient through the stay.
COVID-19 Positive & Exposed Visitor
- Visitors with COVID-19 infection are not permitted until day 11 after symptom onset or positive test. Day of symptom onset or positive test is considered day 0.
- COVID-19 exposed visitors are not restricted unless they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 infection.
Visitors to COVID-19 Positive or COVID-19 Exposed Patients
Patient visitors or support persons to a COVID-19 positive or COVID-19 exposed patient will:
- Be informed of the risks to their health of visiting and be instructed to perform hand hygiene before entry to the room and upon exit of the room.
- Be instructed that if they will maintain a distance of 6 feet from the patient, then no additional PPE is required. If they anticipate close contact with the patient, then the visitor will be instructed to don a gown, gloves and eye protection in addition to their mask and instructed on removal of PPE prior to exiting the room. The visitor may be offered an N95 if they anticipate contact with the patient within 6 feet. Fit testing will not be offered.
- Visitors under 18 will be instructed to maintain a distance of 6 feet from the patient.
- Visitation during aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) will be avoided when possible. Persons present during AGPs are directed to wear an N95 respirator. Fit testing will not be offered. When exiting the patient room, the N95 will be doffed with gown, gloves and eye protection. The visitor will replace their surgical mask for exit from the facility.
COVID-19 Positive Support Person or Guardians
Support persons or guardians with COVID-19 infection are permitted into the hospital. The support person/guardian must remain masked and in the patient’s room at all times.
End-of-Life Visitation
Decisions about visitation will be made collaboratively with the patient and loved ones, as appropriate, on a case-by-case basis. There are no restrictions as to the time of visitation for EOL patients; the duration and timing of the visit is per discretion of the local clinical team and unit leadership.
In end-of-life cases, COVID-19 positive visitors may be permitted after consulting with our infection control/infectious disease department. The visitor must remain masked and in the room of the patient they are visiting at all times.
