FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Effective April 6, Washington Regional Medical Center will implement an updated visitor policy allowing extended visiting hours.
All visitors must continue to wear a mask while on Washington Regional’s campus, pass a Coronavirus screening and practice proper hand hygiene. The updated policy allows visitors for patients in the categories below:
- Inpatient care NOT related to COVID: Patients may be permitted one (1) visitor per day during the designated hospital visitation hours of 9 a.m. – 7 p.m. The visitor is to remain in the patient room during the visit. Patients receiving end-of-life care (e.g., terminally ill patients) should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be allowed more than one (1) visitor.
- COVID Patients: Visitors for patients in this category may only enter when patient is receiving end-of-life care. These should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be allowed more than one (1) visitor.
- Outpatient Procedures: Patients may be accompanied by one (1) patient representative. During the procedure, the visitor will be asked to wait in the patient room or designated waiting area. Masking, social distancing and all other infection prevention and control practices shall be adhered to as a condition of visitation. (If the patient is admitted to the hospital, the visitor will be asked to follow the inpatient hospital visitor guidelines during patient hospital stay.)
- Emergency Department: Patients not being evaluated for COVID may be accompanied by one (1) patient visitor. The visitor will be asked to wait in the patient room or designated waiting area. Masking, social distancing and all other infection prevention and control practices shall be adhered to as a condition of visitation. (If an ER patient is admitted to the hospital, the visitor will be asked to follow the inpatient hospital visitor guidelines during patient hospital stay.)
- Obstetric Patients: Patients may be permitted two (2) adult support persons during their stay.
- Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Patients: Both parents or (1) one parent and (1) one support person will be allowed to visit at the same time.
- Individuals who have a disability, use a wheelchair or have special needs: may be allowed a visitor outside of the designated visiting hours where the presence of a single visitor may be allowed to assist in patient care.
- Visitation without limitation: A clergy member or lay person offering religious or spiritual support may be physically present with a patient to pray with or offer spiritual support.
The visitor policy is subject to change as developments concerning coronavirus necessitate.
For more information on Washington Regional’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19) and the latest updates, visit www.wregional.com/main/coronavirus.