Visitor Restrictions to Contain Coronavirus (COVID-19)

To protect our patients, safeguard our hospital workforce, and limit the community spread of COVID-19, all Premier Health facilities have implemented the following visitor restrictions. 

Visitors for Outpatient, Ambulatory, Emergency Department, and Hospitalized Patients

  • Current patients and patients coming for an emergency department visit, hospitalization, outpatient procedure, or office visit will be permitted one (1) support person in the building at a time given adequate social distancing policies can be met and personal protective equipment supply remains stable.
  • Visitation or support persons for office visits may vary by provider. Patients are encouraged to check with individual providers to ensure they are clear on their provider’s policy.
  • No visitation will be allowed by anyone under the age of 18 unless they are the parent or legal guardian of a pediatric patient.
  • No visitation will be permitted for outpatient testing, such as non-invasive radiology testing, routine x-rays, and lab studies.
  • No NICU visitation for confirmed COVID-19 mothers and partners while able to transmit COVID-19.*
  • No COVID-19 positive persons or symptomatic individuals awaiting test results will be permitted to visit patients.*
  • The following visitation exceptions may apply:
    • “End of Life” situations.
    • For maternity patients, one (1) additional support person, such as a doula, will be permitted.
    • For minor maternity patients, a parent or guardian will also be permitted.
    • Minor patients (under 18 years of age) may have two (2) visitors in the emergency department and inpatient setting, but this is limited to only parents or guardians;
    • NICU patients will be allowed two (2) visitors for the duration of the patient’s stay with one visitor allowed at a time. Confirmed COVID-19 mothers and partners should not visit NICU infants while able to transmit COVID-19.
    • Patients who require assistance due to mobility, reorienting/confusion (patient safety), interpretation, court-ordered, or healthcare decision making may have one (1) additional assistance person;
    • No visitors for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases (unless above criteria met).

Screening & Facial Covering/Mask Guidelines

  • All employees, staff, patients, and visitors will be screened for symptoms or exposure history.
  • Screening is also being done at selected community ambulatory facilities.
  • Visitors will be asked to leave the facility if they have had symptoms or a positive test in the past 10 days or exposures in the last 14 days.
  • If the visitor is a driver for a patient and space is not available in the patient room or waiting room, the visitor may be asked to wait in their car until the patient’s appointment is completed.
  • Employees, staff, patients, and visitors must wash their hands, or use hand sanitizer, before and after leaving rooms and hospital buildings.
  • Visitors should wear a mask when in the common areas of the hospital facility, such as hallways, public restrooms, gift shops, and dining areas.
  • Visitors will be asked to wear their mask when a caregiver is present in a patient room.
  • Patients and visitors may provide and wear their own mask or will be required to accept and wear the mask provided by the hospital facility.
  • Masks or facial coverings must fully cover the nose and mouth.
  • If a visitor refuses to wear a mask, visitors may be asked to leave the facility.
  • Exceptions may be made on an individual basis for those individuals who are unable to wear a mask due to health or disability issues.

*Defining when a person with COVID becomes non-infectious is not straightforward.

The CDC currently recommends a symptom and time-based approach, reserving a test-based approach for rare circumstances. Non-immunocompromised persons may be considered non-infectious if:

  • fever-free for 24 hours without use of fever reducing medication,
  • at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared (or, in the case of asymptomatic at least 10 days have passed since the positive test), and
  • symptoms have improved.

For persons severely or critically ill with COVID-19, and for severely immunocompromised individuals, the length of time since symptoms first appeared can be extended to 20 days.

COVID-19 visitor restrictions will be rescinded when the state of emergency declaration is lifted for the State of Ohio.