Family caregivers are vital members of the care team. Penn Medicine seeks to maximize family caregiver presence while keeping our patients, caregivers and staff safe.
Effective Tuesday May 2, 2023, visitation will be permitted at Pennsylvania Hospital under the following circumstances:
- All hospitalized inpatients are allowed two healthy visitors between the hours of 9 am to 8 pm
(see below for Women's & Infant's Services Visitation Guidelines and Inpatient Hospice)
- All visitors are required to have a visitor pass which can be obtained at the Preston Lobby Welcome Desk. The visitor pass must be clearly visible on the visitor's body.
- Healthy visitors may swap out throughout the day
- Visitors will only be allowed to the nursing units until 7:45 pm
- One person, whether that be a support person or family member may remain at the hospital after visiting hours. This person should:
- Wear appropriate identification
- Stay in the patient room as much as possible
- Use in room bathroom or if unavailable or not recommended by the care team, the public bathroom closest to the patient room
- Take responsibility for personal needs
- Should this person leave the patient's unit, they should leave the hospital and re-enter the next day during visiting hours.
- Children under the age of 14 years old must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult other than the patient at all times
- Unit staff reserve the right to limit the number of family caregivers in the room at their discretion. Common reasons for limiting family caregivers include:
- The patient is undergoing care interventions
- There may be infection prevention precautions in place or during flu season
- Double occupancy rooms with multiple family caregivers/visitors
- Lack of adherence to the Penn Medicine Visitor Code of Conduct
- Patient request
- Visitors may use the cafeteria or coffee cart to purchase food.
- Visitors to patients who are COVID-19 positive must comply with appropriate PPE guidelines.
Visitation Guidelines for Caregivers in Women's & Infants Services
- The patient may select one support person to be present during the initial evaluation procedures.
- *Note: professionally certified doulas may present in the PETU and will not be counted as a support person.
- Minors (defined as any individual younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient are not permitted to visit in the PETU.
- The patient is permitted to have one support person present 24/7.
- 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 (defined as any individual younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient are permitted to visit in the APU.
- An adult, who is not the patient, must accompany and maintain responsibility for minors at all time.
- Minors are not permitted to stay overnight.
- Any minor 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.
- Two identified support persons are welcome to visit each patient in the Intensive Care Nursery 24/7. Primary support persons are identified with either ID bands or ID cards.
- Two secondary support persons are also permitted to visit during visiting hours from 9 am to 8 pm. These support persons must stay the same throughout the infants stay.
- No individual younger than 16 years of age is permitted to visit in the ICN.
- Up to two individuals may be at the bedside at the same time.
- Prior to receiving information about a patient over the telephone parents must provide the patient specific care code.
- The patient will identify two (2) support people who will receive visitation bands.
- *Note: professionally certified doulas will not be counted as a support person
- Minors (defined as any individual younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient are not permitted to visit in L&D.
- 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.
- If a patient requires delivery in the operating room, one support person will be permitted in the operating room.
- Note: 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.
- The patient is permitted to have one support person present 24/7.
- The support person must obtain a pink visitor pass from the Preston Lobby Welcome Desk each day and wear the pass so it is clearly visible.
- Minors (defined as any individual younger than 18) who are children of a hospitalized patient are permitted to visit in Mother Baby Unit.
- An adult, who is not the patient, must accompany and maintain responsibility for minors at all time.
- Minors are not permitted to stay overnight.
- Any minor 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.
- 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.
Visitation Guidelines for Patients Having Surgery
- The patient is permitted to have two healthy visitors to accompany them on the day of surgery to the Liberty Lounge. Children under 14 years of age are not allowed to accompany the patient.
- The Liberty Lounge (surgical waiting area) opens at 5 am and will remain open until 9:30 pm.
- No visitors will be permitted in the Pre-op Hold area.
- Once a patient has moved from the Operating Room to the inpatient unit, visitor(s) will be required to return to the Welcome Desk to obtain and inpatient visitor badge.
Visitation Guidelines for Inpatient Hospice
- Up to six (6) visitors are permitted to be at the patient's bedside at a time. All visitors must obtain a visitor pass from the Preston Lobby Welcome Desk.
- Unit staff reserve the right to limit the number of visitors in the room at their discretion.
Emergency Department Visitor Guidelines
- Patients in the Emergency Department, regardless of COVID-19 status, may have one healthy support person with them (must be 18 years or older; exceptions may apply).
- One healthy support person (must be 18 or older) may accompany a patient while waiting in the waiting room.
- Support Persons in the emergency department must comply with all screening and infection prevention protocols, including wearing approved face coverings at all times and practicing hand hygiene.
- Support Persons must stay with the patient at all times 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 persons will be asked to leave from the emergency department and return to the hospital during visiting hours (9 am to 8pm).
Other Inpatient Visitation Considerations
- Disabled or special needs patients whose support person is essential to their care (must remain at the bedside) are permitted one additional adult visitor, visitors must be 18 or older.
- Religious Services: 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 must wear a face covering during the entirety of the visit.
- Religious leaders are allowed in addition to support people and do not take the place of support people.
Outpatient Visitor Guidelines
- If you need a support person to accompany you to your office visit, we ask that you bring only one healthy support person. We recommend that you do not bring children (defined as any person under the age of 14) with you to your office visit; however, we recognize there are situations where it is necessary.
- If your visit includes a medical procedure or a test (i.e., ultrasound, mammogram, MRI, etc.), another adult must come with you to watch your child (defined as any person under the age of 14) while you are occupied.
- Children must adhere to current masking guidelines
- If you do not feel you need a support person with you at your visit, we appreciate you coming on your own. Coming on your own helps us limit foot traffic in our facilities, and helps us save space for those who need it most — particularly as visitor waiting areas and access to clinical spaces can vary by location due to physical space limitations.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Office of Patient & Guest Relations and they will do their best to assist you.