Limited visitation to resume at Monument Health hospitals

RAPID CITY, S.D. (Dec. 18, 2020) – Beginning Monday, Dec. 21, hospitalized patients at all five Monument Health hospitals will once again be able to have a visitor at their bedside, the health care system announced. In addition, patients who come to Monument Health for emergency medical care, surgery or other procedures will be able to have someone with them.

However, due to the continuing threat of the COVID-19 virus, visitation will be restricted, and all visitors will be screened prior to entering any Monument Health facility. Visiting hours at the hospitals will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Patients will be limited to one visitor at a time. In addition, all visitors must be masked. The detailed visitor policy is available at monument.health/visitors.

Opening Monument Health hospitals and emergency departments to visitors in Custer, Lead-Deadwood, Rapid City, Spearfish and Sturgis is part of a phased approach to meeting patient needs while keeping patients and caregivers safe from the spread of COVID-19.

“There is proven therapeutic value in having someone at your bedside when you’re ill. That’s especially true during the holiday season,” said Brad Archer, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Monument Health. “Throughout the pandemic, we’ve been cautious about balancing the emotional needs of our patients with the safety of all patients and caregivers. Given recent COVID-19 trends, we think it’s time to return to a one-visitor policy.”

If you are unable to visit, we encourage you to use digital resources to connect with your loved ones. Monument Health provides free greeting cards to patients, which friends and family members can have hand-delivered to the patient room. Tablets and video messaging options are also available to patients. iPads will be provided to those patients who do not have one. For more ways to connect with loved ones who are in the hospital visit the Monument Health website.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Stephany Chalberg
Public Relations Manager
Strategic Marketing and Communications
Monument Health
schalberg@monument.health