In an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the following updated visitor restrictions, also included in the attached statement, have been implemented at all our Franciscan Health hospitals. Let me know if you have any questions.

Franciscan Alliance Visitor Restrictions

All visitation will be suspended throughout Franciscan Health hospitals and facilities unless listed in the following exceptions for healthy visitors.

  1. A laboring woman will be allowed one screened and masked visitor, a spouse or partner, during labor, delivery and her postpartum period. In addition, a screened and masked labor coach will be allowed.
  1. A mother, screened and masked, will be allowed to visit her infant in the NICU.
  1. For an Emergency Room patient, one screened and masked visitor will be allowed only for patients that do not have actual or legal decisional capacity. Those include persons under 18, persons with dementia and persons whose condition precludes obtaining an accurate history or decision-making ability. The same restriction applies to inpatients.
  1. For pediatric patients, one screened and masked visitor, who is either the parent or legal guardian, is allowed.
  1. For outpatient and inpatient surgery patients, one screened and masked visitor will be allowed to assist only with admission, medical history and post-surgical education and discharge instructions.
  1. In non-COVID end-of-life situations a screened and masked spouse/significant other, child or parent will be allowed to visit. One visitor will be allowed for the duration. A second screened and masked visitor within the previous listing will be allowed on a rotating basis with no more than two visitors at a time. Visitors will be escorted into the room and out of the hospital. Franciscan Alliance Pastoral Care is part of the care team and is allowed to visit. When a representative of the Pastoral Care team is not available in the hospital, one screened and masked chaplain will be allowed to administer Last Rites.
  1. In COVID end-of-life situations a screened and masked spouse/significant other, child or parent will be allowed to visit. The visitor must wear full PPE while in attendance. Franciscan Alliance Pastoral Care is part of the care team and is allowed to visit, wearing full PPE while in attendance. When a representative of the Pastoral Care team is not available in the hospital, one chaplain in full PPE will be allowed to administer Last Rites.

All visitors will be required to wear masks in order to protect others from asymptomatic carriers who might otherwise spread the virus.