Marion County Hospitals to Ease Some Visitor Restrictions
Published on Thursday, 11 June 2020 18:19
For Immediate Release
June 11, 2020
(Indianapolis) – The Marion County Public Health Department and the Indianapolis Coalition for Patient Safety are recommending an easing of the strict visitor restriction policy adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the health department, the number of COVID-19 cases in Marion County is decreasing. Local emergency departments are reporting fewer visits for COVID-like illness and hospitals are seeing fewer patients admitted positive for COVID-19. Updated COVID-19 data for Marion County is available at http://marionhealth.org/covid-19/.
The easing of these restrictions allows more non-COVID hospital patients to have a designated visitor. Ideally, this visitor should be someone familiar with the patient’s health issues who will be a regular caregiver for the patient after discharge from the hospital.
Visitors are now allowed for:
- Vulnerable patients that may have special needs (dementia, Down syndrome, autism, etc.)
- Patients at the end of life
Special consideration will be given for visitors for the following patients:
- Pediatrics
- Neo-natal Intensive Care (NICU)
- Obstetrics and post-partum
- New admissions
- Intensive Care (ICU)
As surgery areas, procedural areas and ambulatory care areas begin to reopen, visitors may be restricted in these areas as well.
To get the most current information on each hospital’s visitation policy, please refer to that hospital’s website or call the hospital directly. This policy could change based on any future increase in COVID-19 infections.
While COVID-19 cases are decreasing in Marion County, transmission of the virus is still active. The following precautions will remain in place at hospitals in Marion County:
- Visitors must be 18 or older.
- All visitors will be screened and checked for symptoms.
- Visitors will be required to wear a mask during the entire visit. (Note: No masks with exhalation valves are permitted. These only protect the wearer and not others around them.)
- Frequent hand washing or hand sanitizing is required.
- Social distancing of six feet should be maintained as much as possible.
- No visitors should visit if they have signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or if they have been around a person that has tested positive for the virus.
Visitors are not allowed at this time for COVID-19 positive patients to lessen the risk of transmitting the virus. Special visits may be arranged per facility for these patients facing possible end-of-life instances.
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Media Contact:
Curt Brantingham
(317) 221-2316 │ (317) 525-7450
cbrantingham@hhcorp.org
