TO: Ballad Health All
FROM: Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center
DATE: Feb. 4, 2022
TITLE: Visitation update for COVID-positive patients
ACTION: Post and cascade to all team members
Ballad Health has implemented changes to our visitation guidelines for COVID-related patients, effective Monday, Feb. 7. These changes do not apply to other types of visitations and no changes have been made for visitation to other types of patients.
Changes to visitation for patients positive for COVID-19 are:
- One visitor is permitted at a time. Visitors may rotate out. It does not have to be one designated visitor, just one at a time.
- One visitor may stay overnight; however, personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn by the visitor while in the room.
- Once the visitor is in the room for the night, they may not leave and then come back except to visit the restroom.
- If the visitor leaves the patient room to visit the restroom, the visitor must properly doff PPE and perform hand hygiene, while still wearing a surgical mask for the duration of their recess.
- After returning from the restroom, the visitor must perform hand hygiene and don new PPE.
- After arriving at the facility, the visitor must go directly to the patient room and leave the facility immediately following the visit.
- Visitors must work with the patient’s clinical team to coordinate appropriate visitation procedures based on the patient’s circumstances.
Remember, surgical masks are required in all Ballad Health facilities. No cloth masks.
Have a question about vaccines, the Omicron variant, or a new policy? Contact the Ballad Health Corporate Emergency Operations Center at BalladHealthCorporateEOC@balladhealth.org.
