Hospitals announce enhanced hospital visitor guidelines

Mercyhealth, OSF HealthCare, and SwedishAmerican Health System in Winnebago County are announcing enhanced visitor restrictions in response to increases in hospitalizations, acuity level, and lengths of stay. These restrictions became effective Monday, Oct. 12.

The updated hospital visitor guide-lines are as follows:

Mercyhealth Rockton and Riverside Hospitals

• Outpatient procedures and surgery—patients may be accompanied by ONE VISITOR to the procedure area and will then be asked to leave the building. Contact information will be taken and the visitor will be called when the patient is ready to be discharged.
• Emergency Department—ONE VISITOR PER DAY
• Pediatrics (including NICU)—UP TO TWO VISITORS PER DAY
• OB Unit—ONE VISITOR PER DAY
• Inpatient Medical and Surgical Units and ICU—NO VISITORS (Exceptions on a case by case basis for end of life situations or special circumstances)
• Visitors must be 18 years of age or older

OSF HealthCare Saint Anthony Medical Center

• One support person per patient is allowed inside the medical center based on the patient’s need and condition.
• Special consideration will be made during critical situations in collaboration with the care team.

SwedishAmerican Health System

• No inpatient visitors are allowed except for healthcare decision makers and visitors of end-of-life patients.
• One visitor per patient is allowed in Labor and Delivery, Mother/Baby, Maternal Fetal Medicine and the Emergency Department.
• Two visitors per patient are lowed in the NICU and the Pediatrics Unit.

To help keep the care team, patients, and others safe, the visitor/support person will be asked to stay in their loved one’s room as much as possible and limit movement around the hospital. Each support person will be asked to bring their own face mask and be required to wear it at all times while in the hospital. They will be screened upon entry for fever and other symptoms. If the support person cannot wear a mask or does not pass the health screening, support can still be provided by digital means, such as video call or by telephone. Visitors are not allowed for patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are under investigation for a COVID-19 infection.

Hospital capacity is one of the metrics that is monitored for COVID-19 along with positivity, case, and death rates. These system-wide increases are not directly related to COVID-19 infections in the community but indirectly impacts the capacity to treat COVID-19. Additionally, these systems also serve as resource hospitals for other communities, including those in Wisconsin.

Ongoing transmission of COVID-19 in the region including Winnebago County may impact the ability of hospitals to provide elective procedures and care for non-COVID patients. The health systems of Winnebago County encourage the community to do their part to reduce the community transmission of COVID-19.

For more information on COVID-19 metrics, please refer to the Illinois Department of Public Health www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid19-statistics. For more information on the visitor restrictions, please contact the appropriate health system.