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Visitors

The Women's Hospital
Visitation updates effective March 18, 2023
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Deaconess leadership, The Women's Hospital leadership, and infection prevention teams are working together to set parameters for status changes. There are different patient populations considered:

  • Deaconess acute care hospitals currently have hundreds of hospitalized flu patients, patients with other contagious illnesses, as well as cancer patients and others who are all vulnerable to secondary infections.
  • Both The Women's Hospital and Deaconess will continue to require masking for anyone who has been exposed to flu, COVID or RSV within the past 10 days, or have symptoms of these illnesses.
  • Deaconess leadership reviews CDC’s COVID community transmission levels weekly but the level must be maintained for two weeks before adjusting status. The Women's Hospital reviews transmission levels weekly and will adjust the color status weekly.

Visitation updates effective March 18, 2023

Following our Respiratory Viral Illness Plan, The Women's Hospital Pandemic Leadership Team reviews COVID-19, flu, and RSV indicators weekly to determine our masking status every Friday. This means that our  masking status can change every week. Please refer to the information sign at the front and OB ED entrance. 

  • Masks are required for all who enter the building and must be worn throughout their visit.
  • Patients and visitors will be screened upon entry into the facility.
  • Hospital patients, including obstetrical inpatients, gynecology surgical patients, and OB-GYN emergency department patients, may have two designated visitors/support persons. 
    • These designated visitors/support persons must be 16 years old or older.  
    • Designated visitors will remain the same throughout the patient’s stay and wrist bands will be utilized to identify designated visitors.  
  • Siblings of newborns may visit daily during the hours of 4 PM - 6 PM with ONE additional adult.
  • Outpatient/Office Appointments: TWO support persons.
  • NICU:  All staff and parents must wear a mask when in the NICU. Both parents may visit together.  No other NICU visitors at this time.
  • Clergy may visit patients as appropriate.
NICU Visitation
Because the babies in our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) need special care due to prematurity or other conditions, visitation guidelines in our NICU are different from other areas of The Women's Hospital.

In order to keep your baby and other NICU babies as safe as possible, the following guidelines have been implemented.

NICU Guidelines (Subject to change during Influenza and RSV seasons)
  • Mother and father/designated support person are considered part of the team providing care for baby. You are welcome in the unit at any time with the exception of 6:30 - 7:45 AM and 6:30-7:45 PM. The NICU may also be closed during emergencies or procedures.  
  • Only mother and father/designated support person are encouraged to assist in the care of baby. Other family members are not permitted to hold or feed baby.
  • Handwashing and masking is required for family members entering and leaving the NICU.
Smoke-Free Environment
To improve the health of our patients, visitors and employees, The Women’s Hospital, along with other area health care and community partners, became smoke-free on November 17, 2005. Smoking is prohibited on The Women’s Hospital grounds.
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