TO: All Ballad Health team members
FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center
DATE: Feb. 15, 2021
TITLE: Clarification on Ballad Health visitation policies
ACTION: Please share with affected patients and team members
Following a sustained reduction in novel coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in the Appalachian Highlands, Ballad Health has expanded its visitation policy for patients, with new guidelines going into effect on Monday, Feb. 1.
While most Ballad Health patients are permitted two visitors at a time, there are several restrictions, guidelines and clarifications to our policy. See the flyer posted below, as well as these additional bullet points:
- All visitors will be screened and expected to provide and wear their own cloth face covering. Visitors who arrive at our facilities without a cloth face covering will not be permitted to enter.
- Patients are allowed any two visitors at a time – they do not have to designate two specific visitors for the entire length of their stay.
- One visitor may remain with the patient overnight, and this visitor must be in the facility prior to 8 p.m. and remain in the patient’s room until 8 a.m. If that visitor leaves the facility at any point in the night, he or she will not be permitted re-entry until 8 a.m.
- Each facility will determine the mechanism for ensuring two visitors per patient.
Exceptions to the two-visitor rule include:
- Ballad Health Medical Associates patients are allowed one visitor or support person for the duration of their visit.
- Ballad Health will maintain its policy of not allowing any visitation of COVID-19 positive patients or patients who are under investigation for COVID-19. Exceptions to this include end-of-life situations, pediatric patients and laboring mothers who need one support person.
- For laboring/obstetric patients, ONE support person and one visitor will be permitted. A doula is considered part of the care team and not a visitor.
- The policy of maintaining no visitation for behavioral health and long-term care patients remains in place.
- Certain exceptions for visitation will be made at the discretion of nursing leadership for end-of-life, comfort care and critical care patients.
Ballad Health continues to vigilantly monitor the COVID-19 situation in the Appalachian Highlands, and it will announce any further updates or changes as they become necessary.
