Pennsylvania Hospital visitor policies

View our current masking guidelines for all Penn Medicine practices and hospitals. If you have respiratory symptoms, contact your health care provider for guidance before arriving at the hospital for your surgery or procedure.

Visitation

• Patients can have up to two healthy visitors accompany them to the Liberty Lounge on the day of surgery. Children younger than 14 are not allowed to accompany the patient.
• Visitors are not permitted in the pre-op hold area.
• Once a patient has moved from the operating room to the inpatient unit, visitors must return to the Welcome Desk to get an inpatient visitor badge.

The Liberty Lounge

• The Liberty Lounge is open from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Check in at the desk to receive patient updates even if you choose to leave the hospital. Care team members will provide updates throughout your stay.
• Amenities: Lounge chairs, TVs, restrooms, computers, blankets, and lockers. Please do not eat in the Liberty Lounge. You may visit Café 1751 for food options. Beverages are allowed.
• No visitors younger than 14 are permitted, and no one younger than 18 is allowed without a parent or guardian.
• You are strongly encouraged to use headphones or earbuds to maintain a quiet space. Using only one headphone will allow you to still hear any updates.

The Recovery Room after surgery

• On average, patients spend 2 hours in the Recovery Room after surgery.
• The Recovery Room nurse will provide updates during this time.
• The care team will notify you when the patient is out of recovery and visitation is allowed.

Arrival time information

• You will be notified of your arrival time by text message.
• Sometimes unexpected delays occur; if so, you may be contacted the day of surgery with an adjusted arrival time.

Plan to be at the hospital for most of the day

• Unexpected delays may cause a change in your surgery time.
• Please make other plans for any responsibilities you may have on the day of surgery, such as childcare or pet care.
• You and up to 2 visitors only are allowed to be together in the Admissions Department until you are taken to the Pre-operative Holding Area.

What to expect before surgery in the Pre-operative Holding Area

• You will be interviewed by the pre-operative nurse.
• You will meet the anesthesia team and the surgical team.
• This process could take 2 hours or more if unexpected delays occur.

If you have questions about your upcoming surgery, please use MyChart by myPennMedicine to write to your care team or call 800-789-7366 and ask to speak to your surgeon’s office.

You can expect a call or text message one business day before surgery with your arrival time and place to report for surgery.

Where to report

You may be instructed to arrive at one of our two locations, the Main Hospital or Short Procedure Unit (SPU):

• The Main Hospital is located at 800 Spruce Street. Main Hospital patients will be directed to report to the Welcome Desk upon arrival and then directed to check in at Admissions. The entrance to the Main Hospital is on 8th street.
• The Short Procedure Unit (SPU) is located at 801 Spruce Street. SPU patients will be directed to report to the SPU Waiting Room, 1st floor. The entrance to the SPU is on 8th Street.

Where to park 

Self-parking is available 24 hours a day in Deck 1 at 8th & Delancey Streets, Philadelphia, PA.

The entrance to the Deck 1 parking garage is on Delancey Street across from the Main Hospital entrance on 8th street.

Valet parking is available from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Valet parking is available at both the 800 Spruce Street entrance and 801 Spruce Street entrance. Valet does not accept arrivals after 5 p.m. at 801 Spruce Street and after 6 p.m. at 800 Spruce Street. However, valet parking can retrieve cars until 10 p.m.

Perinatal Evaluation & Treatment Unit (PETU)

• The patient may select one support person to be present during the initial evaluation procedures. Professionally certified doulas may be present in the PETU and will not be counted as a support person.
• Minors (defined as anyone younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient are not permitted to visit in the PETU.

Labor and delivery

• The patient will identify two support people who will receive visitation bands. Professionally certified doulas will not be counted as a support person
• Minors (younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient are not permitted to visit in Labor and Delivery.
• Requests may be considered on an individual basis
• No more than two support people may be present in the patient’s room.
• All other visitors can remain in the 3 Preston waiting area.
• Once the patient and infant are stable after the delivery (generally this is more than one hour after birth) additional family or friends may visit at the nurse’s discretion based on patient status. No bands will be necessary for this visit.
• Attendance may be revised based on the condition of the patient. Visitors may be asked to step out of the immediate care area to accomplish clinical care, private procedures or the initiation of regional anesthesia. Restriction of visitors will be a collaborative, multidisciplinary decision, which remains mindful of the patient’s need for support and connection to their family.

Mother Baby Unit 

• The patient is permitted to have one support person present 24/7.
• The support person must get a pink visitor pass from the Preston Lobby Welcome Desk each day and wear the pass so it is clearly visible.
• Minors (younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient are permitted to visit in Mother Baby Unit.
• An adult other than the patient must accompany and maintain responsibility for minors.
• Minors are not permitted to stay overnight.
• Any minor who has signs/symptoms of illness is not permitted to visit.
• If a minor visiting the hospital is of the appropriate age, they should comply with current hospital masking guidelines.
• During viral season, approximately November through April, child visitation may be restricted to minimize the spread of infection.
• Additional visitors may be present 9 am to 8 pm. We welcome up to three people in a patient room at a time. Other visitors will be asked to wait in the unit lounges.
• The Postpartum Unit practices "Quiet Time" each day from 4 pm to 6 pm. We recommend limiting visitation to only the patient’s primary support person during this time however this is enforced based on patient preference.

Antepartum Unit (APU)

• The patient may always have one support person with them.
• Additional visitors may be present 9 am to 8 pm. We welcome up to three visitors in a patient room at a time. Other visitors will be asked to wait in the unit lounges. Minors who are children of the hospitalized patient are welcome to visit and are not included in the total number of visitors in the patient room. See additional considerations for visiting minors below.
• Minors (anyone younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient can visit in the APU.
• An adult other than the patient must accompany and maintain responsibility for minors.
• Minors are not permitted to stay overnight.
• Any minor who is experiencing signs/symptoms of illness is not permitted to visit.
• If a minor visiting the hospital is of the appropriate age, they should comply with current hospital masking guidelines.
• During viral season, approximately November through April, child visitation may be restricted to minimize the spread of infection.
• While patients are in double occupancy rooms, visitation may be limited based on patient condition, volume, and acuity.

Intensive Care Nursery (ICN)

• Two identified support people are welcome to visit each patient in the Intensive Care Nursery 24/7. Primary support people are identified with either ID bands or ID cards.
• Two secondary support people are also permitted to visit during visiting hours from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. These support people must stay the same throughout the infant’s stay.
• No individual younger than 16 is permitted to visit the ICN.
• Up to two individuals may be at the bedside at the same time.
• Before receiving information about a patient over the telephone, parents must provide the patient-specific care code.

Operating room and Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) for obstetric patients

• If a patient requires delivery in the operating room, one support person will be permitted in the operating room. In addition to the support person, a professionally certified doula will be permitted in OR if a collaborative, multidisciplinary team decision can be made in the huddles prior to scheduled cases.
• In most situations, when the patient is receiving general anesthesia, the support person will remain in PACU.
• One support person may remain with the patient in the PACU.
• Additional visitation in the PACU will be based upon the patient condition, PACU volume, and acuity. In most cases, one additional visitor may visit the patient in the PACU once the patient is stabilized.

• Up to six visitors can be at the patient’s bedside at a time. All visitors must get a visitor pass from the Preston Lobby Welcome Desk.
• Unit staff reserve the right to limit the number of visitors in the room.

• Patients in the emergency department may have one healthy support person with them. The support person must be 18 or older, but exceptions may apply.
• Support people in the emergency department must follow screening and infection prevention protocols, including wearing approved face masks and practicing hand hygiene.
• Support people must stay with the patient and should avoid walking in the hallways.
• When a patient is admitted to the hospital and transported to the floor outside of visiting hours, support people will be asked to leave the emergency department and return to the hospital during visiting hours (9 am to 8pm).

• Patients with disabilities or special needs who require a support person is essential to their care are permitted one additional adult visitor who is 18 or older. The support person must remain by their bedside.
• Patients may receive religious services from the religious leader of their choice at any reasonable time if services can be provided without disruption to care.
• Religious leaders are allowed in addition to support people and do not take the place of support people.