March 13, 2020
Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice
Penn Medicine facilities and other Philadelphia hospital networks are restricting visitation access in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Some appointments and procedures may also be rescheduled or made virtual in order to adjust to the demands of COVID-19.
Penn Medicine has altered its visitation policy to adjust for the demands of the coronavirus pandemic and ensure the safety of staff and patients, the health system announced beginning Friday
Each of Penn Medicines hospitals in Philadelphia and across the region will not be permitting visitors except under the special circumstances below:
• Visitation of a patient nearing the end of life
• Parent visitation of a child in our intensive care nurseries
• One coach or partner for each patient on our labor and delivery units
• One visitor at a time for patients in inpatient hospice units
• One parent at a time for pediatric patients
• One visitor to accompany patients for hospital discharge
For all outpatient appointments, one visitor will be permitted to accompany a patient to facilitate care or treatment, such as an ambulatory visit, procedure or same-day surgery.
No child under the age of 12 will be permitted to visit under any circumstance. Health screening procedures will be required in circumstances where a visitor is allowed by exception, the health system said.
Hospitals in the Penn Medicine network also will contact some patients to reschedule appointments and procedures over the next two weeks. Some appointments may be moved to virtual visits or home care as needed, but facilities will remain open in order to care for those who require in-person visits and time-sensitive care.
Elsewhere in Philadelphia, Temple University Hospital also has restricted inpatient visits unless authorized by the clinical leadership team. Outpatient and emergency department visitation will be limited to one support person. Screening of all visitors and patients will take place at each point of entry. The same will apply to Temple's Jeanes and Episcopal campuses.
At Jefferson Health facilities, patient visitors will be limited to no more than two in all patient areas, including labor and delivery units. Visitors are expected to wear protective equipment as advised by signage and hospital staff. Those who exhibit any flu-like symptoms will be restricted.
At Cooper University Health Care’s Camden hospital and all of its community-based outpatient offices, a new policy limits patients to one adult visitor at a time, provided they do not have flu-like symptoms.
Changes to visitation at these hospitals will be effective until further notice. Patients and families are advised to take note of adjusted policies and check online for relevant updates.
