Atrium Health Navicent Updates COVID Safe Visitor Restrictions

Health system remains committed to proactively protecting central Georgians from COVID-19 with expanded safe visitation protocols

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and following careful review of its policies and local COVID-19 data, Atrium Health Navicent (AHN) has chosen to modify certain portions of its visitation policy. The visitation policy is used to protect patients, visitors and caregivers from the threat of COVID-19. These changes are effective Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022 and only visitors described below will be permitted into Atrium Health Navicent facilities.

Visitors include those who are visiting/accompanying patients.

Guidelines

· Visitation hours will be held 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

· All patients in system-wide inpatient may have two (2) visitors, excluding COVID-19 units. See special considerations.

· Two (2) visitors are allowed at the bedside at a time.

· Essential visitors may change out daily.

· Visitors must remain in patient room at all times

· Adult patients, excluding COVID-19 patients, may have one (1) visitor overnight and pediatric patients may have two (2) visitors/guardians at any time.

· All patients in system wide outpatient and ambulatory settings may have one (1) visitor. See special considerations

· Visitors under the age of 12 are not permitted, including for the birth of a sibling.

Special Considerations

· Minor patients under the age of 18 may have two (2) visitors/guardians by bedside at any time and may have two (2) visitors in outpatient and ambulatory settings.

· Patients in Labor and Delivery (active labor, before delivery) may have two (2) visitors including a partner and birth coach.

· Patients in Atrium Health Navicent Family Birth Center (after delivery) may have two (2) visitors at a time at the bedside. One (1) visitor may remain overnight, but cannot swap.

· Patients in hospice or palliative care may have two (2) visitors at a time at the bedside and one (1) visitor overnight.

· Patients in ICU (non COVID-19) may have two (2) visitors at a time at the bedside.

· Patients at Atrium Health Navicent Rehabilitation Hospital may have two (2) visitors for the entire stay and visiting hours are 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily.

· Patients who need a healthcare decision maker or visitor to help with communication and/or mobility.

COVID-19 patients and patients being tested for COVID-19 may have one (1) visitor per day. The visitor must wear a mask and may wear other personal protective equipment (PPE), including a gown, gloves and eye protection, which will be provided upon request. The visitor must stay in the patient room at all times with the door closed, and will utilize a designated restroom based on the patient’s location. Visitors are urged to eat prior to arrival, but to remain at least 6 feet away from the patient before removing a mask to eat. At the conclusion of the visit, visitors must exit the facility without visiting any other location.

Other considerations

·Overnight visitors must stay at the patient’s bedside. If a patient needs an in-room procedure that requires the visitor to leave the room, the visitor may wait in the hallway outside the patient room.

· Some Intensive Care Units lack the capacity for overnight visitors; in these units, overnight visitors are at the discretion of unit leadership.

· Waiting rooms and communal sleeping areas will remain closed.

· Some visitors arrive with patients via entrances other than the main visitor entrance (ex. Surgery, Emergency, Heart Procedures). In the event a patient who entered through any entrance other than the main visitor entrance be admitted and the visitor choose to stay overnight, the visitor must check-in at the main entrance and receive a visitor band during visiting hours (10 a.m. to 7 p.m.). If the patient is admitted after visiting hours, the visitor may stay overnight and check-in at the main entrance during the next day’s visiting hours.

The enhanced visitation policy applies to Atrium Health Navicent locations, including:

· Atrium Health Navicent Beverly Knight Olson Children’s Hospital

· Atrium Health Navicent The Medical Center

· Atrium Health Navicent Peach

· Atrium Heath Navicent Baldwin

· Monroe County Hospital, an Atrium Health Navicent Partner

· Atrium Health Navicent Rehabilitation Hospital

· AHN Emergency Rooms, Urgent Care Centers, Clinics and Diagnostics Centers

All facilities may be accessed through their main lobbies and/or emergency centers. Individuals with cough, fever, shortness of breath or other flu-like symptoms are asked to refrain from visiting. Greeters at public entrances will continue to ask basic screening questions, guide those seeking treatment to the appropriate location and assist visitors as needed.

Atrium Health Navicent recognizes that interacting with loved ones can be helpful to the healing process and strongly encourage everyone to utilize other forms of support for their loved ones, including phone calls and video chats on cell phones or other mobile devices. Patients have access to Wi-Fi to assist with mobile communication.

The health of our patients and the community is the highest concern at Atrium Health Navicent. Our policies and actions are designed to safeguard our community. We appreciate the community’s cooperation and understanding with our efforts to mitigate the threat of COVID-19.

For the latest information on Atrium Health Navicent’s response to COVID-19, including our visitation policy, please visit www.navicenthealth.org. Atrium Health Navicent reserves the right to update the visitation policy at any time, based on current COVID-19 conditions.

About Atrium Health Navicent

Atrium Health Navicent is the leading provider of healthcare in central and south Georgia and is committed to its mission of elevating health and well-being through compassionate care. Atrium Health Navicent provides high-quality, personalized care in 53 specialties at more than 50 facilities throughout the region. As part of the largest, integrated, nonprofit health system in the Southeast, it is also able to tap into some of the nation’s leading medical experts and specialists with Atrium Health, allowing it to provide the best care close to home – including advanced innovations in virtual medicine and care. Throughout its 125-year history in the community, Atrium Health Navicent has remained dedicated to enhancing health and wellness for individuals throughout the region through nationally recognized quality care, community health initiatives and collaborative partnerships. It is also one of the leading teaching hospitals in the region, helping to ensure viability for rural health care for the next generation. For more information, please visit www.NavicentHealth.org.