Geisinger hospitals are enacting the following protocols until further notice: (UDPATED MONDAY, NOV. 2)

Updated Visitors Policy

It’s important to keep your loved one safe while they’re in the hospital. That’s why we’re taking steps to protect our patients, team members and the community from COVID-19 through new visitation policies. Starting Monday, Nov. 2, we’re temporarily restricting routine, in-person visits to our hospitalized patients.

When you can, visit through phone calls, Facetime, Skype and other means.

Our current visitation policy (Información en español):

  • As of Nov. 2, visitation (other than for special situations as noted below) has been suspended until further notice.
  • Clergy and doulas are part of the care team and not considered visitors.

Visitation for special situations (visiting hours can be flexible):

  • Patients who are medically unstable (two designated visitors)
  • All patients who are imminently dying (within hours to days), but who are not positive for or suspected to have COVID-19 (two visitors)
          – A one-time “substitution” with two other visitors is permitted.
    – Visits should ideally be between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
  • Patients undergoing surgery or procedures (one single-time visitor immediately after the procedure)
  • Delivering mothers (one support person)
  • Patients who are minors and those with limited decisional capacity (up to two parents or guardians)
  • Patients who have altered mental status, an intellectual, developmental or cognitive disability or a communication barrier (two visitors)
  • Patients with disruptive behavior where a family member is key to their care (two visitors)
  • Patients being discharged (one visitor to help with discharge planning)
  • ER patients (no visitors, with some exceptions as noted):

               – Patients who are medically unstable (one visitor, at provider’s discretion)

               – Patients who are at end of life (two visitors)

               – Patients who are minors and those with limited decisional capacity (up to two parents or guardians)

              – Patients who have altered mental status or developmental delays and caregiver provides safety (one visitor)

              – Patients with disruptive behavior, where a family member is key to their care (one visitor)

             – Alerted patients (e.g., STEMI, stroke, trauma) (one visitor)

Visitors may not stay in the ER waiting room, but are asked to wait in their vehicle and/or provide a contact number where staff can reach them.

COVID-19-unit patient visitation criteria:

  • End-of-life patients who are (or are suspected to be) COVID-positive (medically unstable or imminently dying)
        – Two designated, unchanging visitors who may not switch out with other people
    – One-time visit from families (a second visit is allowed if death is imminent)

Approved visitors must:

  • Be 18 years of age or older and in good health
  • Bring a form of identification
  • Not have symptoms of fever, cough, shortness of breath, recent loss of taste or smell or flu-like illness suggestive of COVID-19, and complete a health screening, including a temperature check, at the entrance before entry
  • Not have active COVID-19 infection
  • Be at least 10 days from onset of illness if they previously had COVID-19 infection.
  • Wear a Level 1 mask or their own close-fitting cloth masks at all times (gaiters are acceptable, but bandannas and other loose cloths are not) and cover tracheostomies (e.g., with cloth, gauze, a second mask)
       – Masking for visitors is mandatory at all times in all Geisinger buildings. Any visitor who doesn’t comply may lose future visitation privileges.
  • Respect social distancing guidelines of 6 feet from all others
  • Wash hands with soap and water or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer before entering and after leaving a patient’s room
  • Use the same entrance for entry into and exit from the hospital
  • Identify themselves and stay in designated areas (not travel throughout the facility)

Appointments and outpatient visits:

  • Visitation for outpatient procedures, diagnostics and clinic appointments remains the same. Adult or pediatric patients who have an appointment at a Geisinger clinic, laboratory or radiology department may have one person accompany them, if necessary.

Ambulatory procedures:

  • One visitor may accompany you to registration and the waiting area.
  • Patients and visitors must mask and respect social distancing while in the facility.
  • Your visitor may be asked to wait outside the facility during your procedure. To support social distancing and at the discretion of the facility, your visitor may be able to use the waiting area.
  • Your visitor will be called after your procedure. They will be told when to come back into the facility (if they are not in the waiting area) to escort you out after you are discharged.

Inpatient procedures:

  • One visitor may accompany you to registration and the waiting area.
  • Patients and visitors must mask and respect social distancing while in the facility.
  • Your visitor may be asked to wait outside the facility during your procedure. To support social distancing and at the discretion of the facility, your visitor may be able to use the waiting area.
  • You may have a single, one-time visitor after a procedure. Your visitor will be called after your procedure and given directions to your location. If your visitor left the facility after you were taken back for your procedure, they will be called after your procedure and updated on your progress and location in the hospital.

Vendors

Patients and visitors can find masks at or near the entrances of our hospitals and clinics.

Have questions?

For Geisinger Lewistown Hospital, please use the following guidance:

Geisinger Lewistown Hospital

  • The hospital’s main entrance is closed.
  • Patients and visitors must enter the building through the Emergency Department or the fourth-floor surgical center.