FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Washington Regional Medical Center announced it is updating its visitor policy to allow extended visiting hours and additional visitors for most patients.
All visitors must continue to wear a mask while on Washington Regional’s campus, pass a coronavirus screening and practice social distancing and proper hand hygiene. For those who fail the screening, options for remote electronic visitation may be available.
The updated policy allows visitors for patients in the categories listed below. Failure to follow visitor policy guidelines will result in the visitor being asked to leave the campus.
Inpatient care NOT related to COVID: Each patient may have their desired number of visitors during their stay. However, only two visitors may be present at a time. Hospital visitation hours are from 4:30 a.m.– 9 p.m. Visitors are to remain in the patient room with an appropriately worn facemask during their 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 two visitors at a time.
COVID Patients: Visitors for patients in this category may only enter when the patient is receiving end-of-life care. These should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be allowed more than one visitor.
Outpatient Procedures:
- Patients may be accompanied by two patient representatives. During the procedure, visitors will be asked to wait in the patient room or designated waiting areas. 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, visitors will be asked to follow the hospital visitor guidelines during the patient’s hospital stay.
Emergency Department: Patients not being evaluated for COVID may be accompanied by two patient visitors. Visitors 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. o If an ER patient is admitted to the hospital, visitors will be asked to follow the hospital visitor guidelines during the patient’s hospital stay.
Obstetric Patients:
- Labor and Delivery Unit: Each patient may have their desired number of visitors during their stay. However, only two visitors may be present at a time. All labor and delivery unit visitors must be age 14 or older.
- Postpartum Unit: Each patient may have their desired number of visitors age 14 and above two at a time during their stay, except between the hours of 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. when visitors are permitted four at a time with no age restrictions.
Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Patients: Both parents or one parent and one support person will be allowed to visit at the same time. Siblings and immediate family designated by the parents of the patient will be allowed to visit.
Willard Walker Hospice House Patients: Patients will be permitted four masked visitors at all times. Patients should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and may be allowed more than four visitors.
Individuals who use a wheelchair or have special needs (e.g., disability, emotional instability, cognitive impairment, neurologic impairment, etc.) where the presence of a patient visitor may assist in patient care, may be allowed a visitor outside of the designated visiting hours.
Visitation without limitation: A clergy member or layperson 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.
Click here for more information on Washington Regional’s response to Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the latest updates.