Maria Parham Health has announced updated guidelines for visitors to the hospital, effective today, Wednesday, Jan. 5.
A hospital patient who is COVID-19 negative may have one visitor per day during the 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. visiting hours window. The visitor may change each day, but no visitor may stay overnight. Visitors are required to wear an appropriate face mask at all times, except when actively eating or drinking. Gaiter-style face coverings are not acceptable.
The visitor must stay in the patient room and observe all infection prevention protocols including social distancing and frequent hand washing in addition to wearing a face mask.
Things are a bit different for those patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, however.
Those patients may have no visitors, unless it’s an end-of-life situation, according to the hospital’s webpage and social media posts. In such situations, no more than two members of the patient’s immediate family may visit at one time.
Patients entering the hospital through the Emergency Room may have one visitor each day. Visitors may change each day, but they are not permitted to wait in the lobby/waiting area with patients waiting to be seen. Visitors should wait in their cars until the patient is put into a room, but COVID-19 positive patients that come through the ER are not allowed any visitors.
Obstetrical patients in labor or giving birth may have one support person per day, and that person may stay with the patient throughout her labor, but must stay in the patient’s room.
Pediatric patients are allowed two visitors per day and those visitors also may change each day. Pediatric inpatients are allowed to have one overnight visitor, but, again those visitors must remain in the patient’s room.
Visit mariaparham.com to view the policy in its entirety.