Pennsylvania Hospital has protocols in place to maximize the safety of all who enter our hospital. These safety protocols include limiting visitors to accompany patients to appointments or see them in the hospital.
Face Coverings: To help maintain a healthy environment, Pennsylvania Hospital is requiring all patients and visitors to wear a face covering or mask at all times. We ask that you bring your own face covering or mask to wear. If you do not have a face covering, we will provide one. In addition to covering your face, you should practice social distancing and try to restrict your mobility as much as possible
Health Screenings: When entering Pennsylvania Hospital, all patients and visitors are required to complete a health screening, which may include having your temperature checked and answering some questions about your health and any recent travel. Any visitor who is sick, has a high risk of prior exposure or has traveled from a high-risk geographical area will not be permitted to enter the hospital under any circumstances. While you’re in Pennsylvania Hospital, visitors may have periodic monitoring.
At Pennsylvania Hospital, patients are allowed to have visitors in the following special circumstances.
- Children under the age of 18 years will not be permitted to visit or accompany a patient into the building.
- Labor and delivery, including postpartum, patients: One partner/support person to stay the duration of the visit.
- Neonatal intensive care and pediatric patients: Both parents - banded support people are able to visit every day. Only one person allowed at the bedside at a time (end of life exceptions still apply). There will be no additional visitors permitted.
- Disabled or special needs patients whose support person is essential to their care (must remain at the bedside) are permitted one additional adult visitor.
- All patients on general Non-COVID 19 units’ may have one visitor 11am-9pm.
- Visitors will be limited to one person at a time.
- Visitors shall remain in the patient room or at the bedside throughout their visit
- If a procedure occurs in the OR, the visitor (one) can wait in the designated surgical waiting area
- End-of-life patients: Maximum of two visitors at the bedside
- Discharge patients: One healthy visitor to assist with discharge
COVID 19 Patients: Two visitors are permitted to be present if death is imminent. Please contact the nursing unit to arrange and review safety guidelines
Visitation Guidelines for Patients Having Surgery
- Patients will be allowed 1 visitor to accompany them on the day of surgery. Children under the age of 18 years will not be permitted to visit or accompany a patient into the building.
- The Liberty Lounge (surgical waiting area) opens at 5am, and will remain open until 9:30pm.
- On the Day of Surgery: Visitors will be permitted on the Discharge Unit to visit with patients after the Recovery Room to assist with discharge.
- Visitors will be permitted on the Inpatient Units after the Recovery Room for a maximum of 2 hours (if after 9pm).
Emergency Department Visitor Guidelines
Patients may have ONE visitor accompany them during their stay in our Emergency Department once they are placed in a room
- Patients presenting with symptoms related to COVID-19 will not be permitted a visitor
- Visitor must receive and wear a red visitor pass
- Utilize hand sanitizer or wash hands often
- Visitor must stay in patient rooms at all times
- No walking in hallways or standing in the doorway of patient rooms
- If for any reason you need to leave the department, you will not be permitted back in and visitors may not switch
- Waiting in the waiting room is not permitted
These parameters were put into place in alignment with current CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 amongst patients, visitors and staff. Guidelines may be modified based upon situational and clinical need with approval from ED Charge Nurse and Emergency Department leadership. Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in full visitor restriction.
We realize that these restrictions may create challenges, and we are very sorry for any difficulties they may cause. If you have questions or concerns, please contact patient and guest relations and they can try to assist you.