Trinity Health will transition to tighter visitor restrictions at its hospital and clinic facilities due to a rise in the number of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations amid the highly transmissible Delta variant.
Vice President Randy Schwan says starting August 23, restrictions at Trinity Hospital, Trinity Hospital – St. Joseph’s, and medical clinics across the system will be elevated from “minimal” to “moderate.”
“Cases are surging throughout our state and region, and Trinity Health has seen a steep increase in hospitalizations for COVID-19. It is imperative that we take this disturbing trend seriously to mitigate its effect on patients and staff,” Schwan said.
Effective August 23, only one adult visitor will be allowed per day at a patient’s bedside or to accompany a patient to a clinic appointment. No visitor under age 18 will be permitted in either case. Anyone with respiratory symptoms or who is COVID-positive is not eligible to access these medical facilities as a non-patient. Face coverings/masks are required of all persons entering the facility; compliance with the mask mandate is required to both enter and remain within the building.
Exceptions to the one-visitor policy include the following:
- Pediatrics/Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU) patients may have two parents or legal guardians with a patient.
- Family Birth Center patients may have one support person – the same person the entire time
- End of life patients may have up to three visitors; one may stay overnight. Visits by minor children must be pre-approved.
- Patients with disabilities may have one designated support person. Two support persons are permitted for stays longer than a day, with only one in the room at a time.
- One home caregiver is permitted at time of discharge for education/training assistance.
- Same Day Surgery patients may have one visitor in attendance, who then must stay in the patient’s room during/after surgery.
- Patients having outpatient procedures at the hospital can have one person with them, the visitor must stay in the patient’s room during the procedure.
- Emergency Trauma Center patients may have one adult person accompany them; for pediatric ETC patients, two parents or legal guardians are permitted.
- Addiction Services and Inpatient Mental Health: Adult family members designated as integral to patient’s treatment are permitted as directed by behavioral health team.
Patients who are COVID-positive are generally not allowed visitors – prior authorization must be granted for those rare and unique circumstances where a visit might be approved. Hospital cafeterias will remain open for staff and approved authorized visitors, with social distancing required.