Hershey

Penn State Health revises visitation to support patient and family-centered care

Credit: Penn StateCreative Commons

HERSHEY, Pa. — Out of a continued recognition of the importance of family and support persons in health care, Penn State Health is revising its visitation guidelines. The changes will take effect on Monday, Sept. 13, for the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, St. Joseph Medical Center, Holy Spirit Medical Center, and all Penn State Health Medical Group locations.

Non-COVID adult inpatients and adult outpatient surgery patients may now have two family or support persons per day. The previous guidelines limited visitors to only one per day. The revisions also permit two family members or support persons to accompany each labor and delivery and postpartum patient during their stay. The previous guidance limited visitors to one per stay.

Previous pediatric visitation guidance remains in place.

The decision to allow two support persons for adult inpatients and adult outpatient surgery patients provides flexibility to accommodate work and family responsibilities and ensures patients do not have to face their medical situation alone.

Penn State Health will continue to make iPads available for communication between care teams, patients and families.

Penn State Health will continue to screen all family/support persons who wish to enter any facility, and no one with COVID symptoms will be permitted to enter. Due to the various states of health or illness of people served in health care facilities, everyone entering the facilities is required to wear a mask at all times and maintain physical distancing guidelines, regardless of vaccination status.

The adult and pediatric visitation guidelines are available on Penn State Health’s website.

Last Updated September 10, 2021

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