Manatee Memorial Hospital partially lifts COVID-19 ban on inpatient visitation
Manatee Memorial Hospital has partially lifted a ban on inpatient visitation that has been in place since March 18.
The hospital announced that one visitor, age 18 or older, will be allowed to visit patients on the nursing inpatient units from noon to 3 p.m. daily. The new policy started Monday.
Patients who are positive for COVID-19 or are being tested for COVID-19 will not be allowed visitors.
“We encourage family/friends to continue to call, use FaceTime or Skype if they are unable to visit their loved one or friend,” the hospital said in a press release.
Visitors will be required to enter through the main entrance of the hospital, use antibacterial foam, receive a temperature check and answer a screening questionnaire.
The visitor will be required to wear a mask upon entry and keep it on at all times, while at the hospital. Visitors may provide their own mask or the hospital will provide one for them. Visitors will also be required to stay in the specific room assigned to the patient.
Visitor rules for patients in other departments at Manatee Memorial:
▪ Emergency department: A limit of one visitor age 18 or older may accompany a patient. The visitor must come in with the patient at the time of arrival. The visitor will use antibacterial foam, receive a temperature check and answer a screening questionnaire. The patient and the visitor will be required to wear a mask upon entry and keep it on at all times. Visitors may provide their own mask or the ER staff will provide one for them. The visitor must stay in the specific room assigned to the patient until discharge.
▪ Surgical/procedural areas : Limit of one visitor age 18 or older may accompany the patient for admitting and pre-surgical areas. The patient and the visitor will be required to use antibacterial foam, receive a temperature check and answer a screening questionnaire and wear a mask upon arrival. Patients and visitors may provide their own mask or the hospital will provide one for them. The visitor will need to leave before the surgery starts and may not wait at the hospital. The visitor will be notified when the patient is ready to be picked up and given their discharge information. The visitor again needs a mask on as they enter the building for discharge.
▪ Labor and Delivery: limit of one support person who may stay overnight and wears a mask.
▪ Mom and Baby/Post-partum: One support person who may stay overnight and wears a mask. Reminder for OB patient’s families: when picking up mothers and/or newborns, please secure someone to watch older children, since they are not able to visit the hospital.
▪ Neonatal: one support person that wears a mask.
▪ Special needs patients, compassionate care/end-of-life situations. All visitors must wear a mask.
For more information: www.manateememorial.com and click on Health Alert or follow Manatee Memorial’s Facebook page.
Blake Medical Center
Blake Medical Center has not lifted its ban on visiting inpatients.
“Right now we allow one visitor per patient in our ER, one visitor for patients having outpatient surgeries or other outpatient procedures requiring sedation, and no visitors for patients in our inpatient units. Exceptions are made on an individual basis,” Lisa Kirkland, Blake’s director of marketing, said in an email.
“We are constantly evaluating our policies and procedures to ensure we are adhering to the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Florida Department of Health for the safety of our patients, visitors, physicians, and caregivers. Our visitation policy can be found at https://blakemedicalcenter.com/covid-19/visitor-policy.dot)
Blake Medical Center’s website contains information about universal masking as well as other enhanced safety protections at https://blakemedicalcenter.com/covid-19/latest-updates/enhanced-safety-protections.dot.
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 1:35 PM.
