Healthcare Services Find a Doctor Locations Patient Portal Research & Education menu MedStar Health About MedStar Health Visitor Policies and Guidance During COVID-19 For Healthcare Professionals Visitor Policies and Guidance During COVID-19 Browse this page Overview MedStar Health Visitor & Patient Support Persons Policy Visitors to Hospital Locations Patients with Disabilities Hospital or Ambulatory Requirements MedStar Health Visitor and Patient Support Persons Policy To continue prioritizing the safety of our patients, associates, physicians, and communities, MedStar Health implemented a three-tier Visitor and Patient Support Persons Policy that allows for adjustments based on the number of COVID-19 cases in the community, according to state and county public health data. Currently, all hospitals and ambulatory locations are following yellow visitor restrictions. Yellow visitor restrictions General guidance for hospital and ambulatory locations All patients are required to wear face masks, when clinically feasible and appropriate, throughout their hospitalization, including in patient rooms when others are present and while outside of patient rooms (e.g., radiology, hallway, during transport to procedure, etc.) per the MedStar Health Universal Masking Protocol. All visitors, professional support persons, clergies, and support persons for patients with disabilities: Must check in at the front desk and wear a face mask throughout the duration of their visit (gaiters and face masks with an exhalation valve are not permitted). They are expected to bring their own face mask. If they do not have one, a face mask will be provided. Will be screened for a history of COVID-19 and for COVID-like symptoms, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, sudden loss of taste or smell, vomiting or diarrhea.. A visitor with a history of COVID-19 may be permitted if asymptomatic or symptoms have improved: 10 days after positive COVID-19 test collection date if visitor did not require hospitalization. 20 days after positive COVID-19 test collection date if visitor required hospitalization. Must follow proper infection prevention practices, including masking, hand hygiene, and physical distancing and other PPE if applicable. Visitor vaccination status does not impact these requirements or this policy in any way. Approved visitors, professional support persons, and support persons for patients with disabilities for Patients with Confirmed COVID-19 or Persons Under Investigation (PUI) must don Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) provided by the hospitals—procedure mask, isolation gown, goggles or face shield (eye protection), and gloves; and must not be ill or show symptoms of illness. Additional approved visitors and/or visitors switching off are not permitted to wait in common areas, including lobbies, vestibules, waiting areas, hallways, chapels, cafeteria, food court, bank, and/or any other area within the care location. Visitors switching off (as permitted by the policy) must transition outside the facility. End of life is defined as death is anticipated within hours to days. This policy remains in effect if the end-of-life period extends after the first end of life visit. End-of-life visitors may be anyone identified by the patient or patient’s surrogate to include children under the age of 18, who will be accompanied and supervised by an adult. In hospitals, no visitors under the age of 18 are permitted, unless they are parents of a pediatric patient or are visiting a patient at the end of life and are accompanied by an adult. For ambulatory locations, patients are strongly discouraged from having minors under the age of 18 accompany them as visitors during appointments. Patients may receive religious services from their clergy of choice at any reasonable time if services can be provided without disruption to care. Clergy is not counted as patient’s visitor. Hospitals will continue to restrict entrances during the pandemic. Visitors cannot visit multiple patients within the same day. Visitors are permitted in semi-private patient rooms. Visitors to Hospital Locations COVID-19 Positive or PUI Patients Inpatient No visitors except as permitted below. Compassionate Care Two visitors with no visiting hour restrictions for end-of-life One visitor in person to participate in palliative care, hospice, or ethics consult to assist with decisions and goals of care. One visitor per patient with a length of stay greater than three weeks; may visit weekly until patient is discharged. Emergency Department No visitors. One parent/guardian may accompany children under 18 years of age. Please note, during emergency department construction at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, visitors are not permitted in the waiting area, except for a support person accompanying a patient with disabilities. Thank you for understanding. Surgical & Procedural Departments No visitors. Obstetrics/Labor & Delivery One approved visitor for duration of labor and delivery. A doula can be the approved visitor. Must remain with the patient. No restrictions on hours. Antepartum One approved visitor for antepartum patients, who must remain in the patient room but may leave and re-enter the antepartum area once per day. No restrictions on hours. Postpartum One approved visitor for duration of the stay, who may leave and re-enter the postpartum area once per day but must remain in the patient room. No restriction on hours. NICU One approved parent/guardian, who must stay in designated area 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pediatrics One approved parent/guardian, who must stay in the patient room 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Acute Care Rehabilitation No visitors. Non-COVID-19 Positive or PUI Patients Inpatient One visitor, per patient, seven days per week. Visiting hours are 2 to 6 p.m. Check specific facilities for further direction. Compassionate Care Two visitors with no visiting hour restrictions for end-of-life Visitors may switch off. One visitor per day for one visit between 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for palliative care and hospice patients. One visitor for the following situations: Patients undergoing emergency/unplanned surgery. Upon discharge for patients with outpatient hospital-based invasive procedures. including surgery/moderate sedation. To accompany a patient for hospital discharge. If indicated by patient’s provider to support patient rehabilitation needs, to include patients who are neurologically intact on life- sustaining treatments and whose plan of care requires less sedation and more awake time. Emergency Department One visitor. One parent/guardian may accompany children under 18 years of age. Please note, during emergency department construction at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, visitors are not permitted in the waiting area, except for a support person accompanying a patient with disabilities. Thank you for understanding. Surgical & Procedural Departments One visitor/guardian may accompany patient, subject to space and physical distancing requirements. No restrictions on hours. Obstetrics/Labor & Delivery Two approved visitors for duration of labor and delivery, one of which may be a doula. No restrictions on hours. Antepartum One approved visitor for antepartum patients, who may leave and re-enter the antepartum area once per day. No restrictions on hours. Postpartum One approved visitor for duration of the stay, who may leave and re-enter the postpartum area once per day. No restriction on hours. NICU One approved parent/guardian at a time; must stay in designated area. Parents/guardians may switch off. No restrictions on hours. Pediatrics Two parents/guardians will be assigned at admission, which cannot change throughout the hospitalization. The two approved parents/guardians may visit at the bedside at the same time, with one exit and re-entry per day. One parent may stay overnight with the patient. Acute Care Rehabilitation One visitor, per patient for entire stay, seven days per week. Visiting hours begin at 4:30 p.m. to accommodate therapy sessions and end at 7:30 p.m. *For MedStar Health National Rehabilitation Hospital only, the visiting hours are 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. for this category. Patients with Disabilities Hospital or Ambulatory Requirements COVID-19 positive/PUI and Non-COVID-19 positive/Non-PUI Patients With Disabilities with Support Person The Americans With Disabilities Act defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. Minor, temporary, or transient conditions (of less than six months) are generally not considered a disability but will be reviewed by an individualized assessment. Patients with disabilities may designate one support person to accompany them throughout their visit or stay at MedStar Health. This designation will be documented in the patient’s record with the exceptions provided below: Patients with disabilities who are hospitalized for more than one day may designate two support persons, but only one support person may be present at a time. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Ambulatory patients with disabilities may designate one support person who may accompany the patient during an ambulatory visit. All support persons for patients with disabilities will remain with the patient or in a designated waiting area depending on the needs of the patients and the nature of the procedure (e.g., surgery, x-rays, etc.). MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital is a specialty hospital and requires additional protections against COVID-19 infection at the facility. MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital will provide individualized assessment of the needs of a patient with a disability and provide the reasonable modifications, aids, and services including the presence of support person as necessary to ensure effective communication and equal access to health care. A support person may be a family member, personal care assistant, similar disability service provider, or other individual knowledgeable about the management or care of the patient who is authorized to assist the patient in making decisions. This support person may be required to address: 1) needs that are not visually apparent to someone who does not know them (e.g., discomfort, hunger, thirst, pain); 2) changes in their symptoms; 3) needs related to a history of trauma; 4) emotional self-regulation and anxiety management to prevent unnecessary use of physical and chemical restraints. Support persons for hospitalized patients with disabilities will be permitted to safely eat, drink, and use a restroom while present in the facility, provided proper precautions are taken to contain the spread of infection. Other reasonable accommodations for patients with disabilities may be approved by clinical leadership according to the needs of the patient, provided the accommodations comply with all infection prevention policies. Point of contact person is the administrator on call or clinical leadership in ambulatory setting to support and address any questions. Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Vice President of Medical Affairs, Chief Nursing Officer, or clinical leadership in ambulatory setting. With Cancer and With Disabilities in Ambulatory Infusion Clinics Support persons for patients with disabilities may be allowed as necessary based on an individualized determination. With Disability without Support Person If a patient with a disability does not have a support person present during the patient’s visit or stay, MedStar Health will provide necessary aids and services and ensure effective communication and equal access to health care. MedStar Health recognizes its ongoing obligation to provide patients with effective communication support consistent with applicable federal or state law and regulations. With Disability requesting Religious Services Patients may receive religious services from the clergy of their choice at any reasonable time if it can be provided without disruption to care. Clergy will not count as patient’s visitor. These restrictions are in place until further notice. 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