Visitor & Guest Services

VISITOR AND VISITATION GUIDELINES

updated July 30, 2023

1. 1. Visitation for hospitalized patients is from 7:30 a.m.- 7:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Areas such as the emergency department, Women’s and Children and Hospice House have flexible hours 24/7.
   2. Clinics welcome visitors when their loved one is being seen.
   3. Patients and visitors are encouraged to designate a primary individual to facilitate effective communication among extended family members and health care teams. For hospitalized patients, the primary individual will be identified on the Communication Board located in the patient’s room and in the record. For all other service areas, the primary individual will be identified and communicated to the care team and placed in the record.
   4. It is preferred to have no more than two visitors at any one time in the inpatient /clinic/ emergency department areas. In situations where there are shared rooms, this negotiation will include the other patient and support person. To ensure safety, consideration will also be given to the physical limitations of the space.
   5. The Hospice Program allows for unlimited visitors and visitation. The Hospice House is a locked facility.
   6. Behavioral Health is a locked facility and individualizes visitor presence per patient.
   7. Women’s and Children’s have security guidelines. These guidelines are instituted and monitored by the Women’s and Children’s staff.
   8. Families are encouraged to engage with care under the direction of the nursing staff.
   9. Children supervised by an adult other than the patient are welcomed. Children are not restricted by age. Children under the age of 14 years of age are expected to remain with the supervising adult. Children’s behavior and safety will be monitored by the responsible adult to ensure a safe and restful environment for the patient(s) and a positive and developmentally appropriate experience for children.
   10. If an adult visitor cannot care for themselves a support person for the visitor is required.
   11. To keep our patients healthy, we request that visitors avoid visiting if they are experiencing any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose/nasal congestion, muscle aches, and/or fatigue or diarrhea. Visitors are asked to perform hand hygiene before entering and upon leaving the patient’s room.
   12. Overnight stays are determined by the health care team based on the needs of the patient and situation. If the patient is in a semi-private room, the overnight stay must be approved by the roommate or support person.
   13. If a family is asked to come to the bedside after visiting hours, the bedside staff will instruct them on how to enter the facility.
   14. Confidential or Restricted status is appropriately documented in EPIC which allows other health care team members to honor that status.
   15. Disruptive behavior and unsafe practices by visitors are not acceptable. These situations will be addressed directly and promptly.
   16. There may be unique and extenuating circumstances that require compassionate exceptions to these guidelines. It is recommended that the primary nurse and the health care team, in collaboration with the patient and family, use professional judgment in considering the unique family circumstances and patient needs when applying these guidelines. Compassionate exceptions should be noted in the record and communicated to the front desk.

GENERAL POLICY

Monument Health promotes and supports a patient and family-centered approach to care while maintaining safety and security for patients, caregivers and physicians.

Patients and visitors are respected as essential members of the health care team, helping to ensure quality and safety.

Visitors, as identified by the patient, are family members, friends, and/or other individuals who provide physical, psychological, emotional and/or spiritual support for the patient.  Visitors are invited to contribute to the care of the patient during clinic visits, hospital stays, emergency room visits and in the transition to home and community care. For the safety of our patients and visitors, there may be some patient care areas that have limited access for visitors.