Lexington hospitals say no visitors during COVID-19 outbreak, except in these cases
University of Kentucky Healthcare has adopted a no visitors policy at its hospitals and clinics.
Baptist Health Lexington also this week restricted visitors except in cases where it is essential that a patient is accompanied by one person.
CHI Saint Joseph Health followed suit Thursday. The hospital announced it has adopted a no visitor policy, and other policies have been put in place to reduce coronavirus risk. These include rescheduled elective outpatient procedures, a limitation on personal belongings, and screenings for hospital employees and health care providers.
UK Healthcare’s new policy will be in place until the threat of COVID-19 has “decreased significantly,” according to the announcement.
Exceptions to UK Healthcare’s no visitor rule include the following:
- Obstetric patients will be allowed one partner or support person over the age of 16 with them.
- Pediatric patients will be able to be accompanied by parents or guardians, no more than two, for as long as has been cleared by an attending physician.
- Nursery and neonatal intensive care unit patients will be able to have visits from one birth parent, accompanied by one significant other, if cleared by an attending physician.
- Patients who are dying will be able to have up to two visitors for an amount of time cleared by an attending physician.
- Patients who need to be accompanied by a family member because of “altered mental status, cognitive impairment, developmental delays or disruptive behavior,” may have one visitor.
- Patients who must have a home caregiver to be trained will be permitted one visitor.
- Patients having surgery can have one visitor, and that visitor will be expected to leave as soon as possible after the surgery or procedure is completed.
Once any visitor leaves a patient’s room they must leave the hospital immediately.
Additionally, any non-patient visitor who is ill or fails screening will not be able to enter a UK hospital.
No visitors will be permitted in the room of a patient who has tested positive for COVID-19 or is suspected to have COVID-19 unless that person is at the end of their life, according to UK Healthcare.
Emergency room patients will be allowed to be accompanied by one person. Patients who have appointments at UK Healthcare Clinics, labs or radiology facilities that need assistance can also be accompanied by one person. Patients at the clinics, labs or radiology facilities who are children will be able to be accompanied by one parent, according to UK Healthcare.
“These are extraordinary times and we ask for your cooperation and assistance in complying with these restrictions,” said Dr. Mark Newman, UK executive vice president for health affairs. “The safety and well-being of our patients, employees and our community is our greatest concern and priority in making these decisions.”
UK Healthcare said that cases will be monitored on an individual basis and that officials will “take into consideration what is in the best interest of patient care and safety of patients and employees.”
Baptist Health said it is now “allowing only essential caregivers to accompany patients for medical appointments or tests.”
In some exceptions, patients at Baptist Health will be allowed one healthy visitor to accompany them. Those cases include children, women in labor, patients who are dying and patients who are dependent on the help of a caregiver.
“We encourage everyone to use their personal electronic devices to use virtual means such as FaceTime or Skype to communicate with their loved ones in the hospital,” said Bill Sisson, president of Baptist Health Lexington.
Visitors who are allowed into the hospital will be screened first and may have their temperature taken, according to Baptist Health. Only the main entrance at the hospital’s North Tower will be usable, except for emergency patients who can still enter through the Emergency Department.
At other Baptist health medical offices and outpatient facilities, similar restrictions are in place that allow only one essential caregiver to accompany patients.
Saint Joseph Health’s exceptions to the no visitor policy include the following:
- One visitor for labor and delivery (birthing partner) in the maternity unit at Women’s Hospital.
- One visitor allowed for end-of-life care.
- One parent or guardian will be allowed for patients under age 18.
Saint Joseph also said exceptions would “be considered on a case-by-case basis.” These policies will go in place at Saint Joseph Hospital, Saint Joseph East, Women’s Hospital at Saint Joseph East and Continuing Care Hospital.
“During this time, hospital visitors may want to consider alternative communication options with patients in the hospital, such as phone, Facetime, Skype, text or email,” Saint Joseph said in a release.
This story was originally published March 23, 2020 at 6:50 PM.
