Visitors Can Accompany Patients in Emergency Rooms Again

Due to decreasing spread of COVID-19 in the community, BayCare hospitals are lifting visitation restrictions to allow patients to have more support from loved ones as they seek services.

Starting Monday, June 14, one adult visitor per patient will be allowed inside BayCare’s emergency waiting rooms, as capacity allows. All visitors and patients must wear masks, regardless of vaccination status. Visitors are not allowed for COVID-positive patients or patients who are suspected of having COVID. And if emergency waiting rooms become too crowded, visitors may be asked to wait in their vehicle until their patient is placed in a treatment room.

Also on Monday, all BayCare hospitals are expanding visitation hours for inpatients to 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Patients may have multiple adult visitors a day but only one visitor at a time. All visitors must wear a mask throughout their time at the facility, regardless of vaccination status.

In some areas of hospitals where visitation is more extended, such as labor and delivery, Moms and newborns, pediatrics and NICU, those practices will continue.

Visitation remains closed for COVID-19 positive, COVID-19 rule-out and Behavioral Health patients. Under special circumstances, exceptions may be granted by hospital leadership.

Exceptions to the Visitation Policy may also be made to provide reasonable accommodation to patients with disabilities or special needs and to comply with applicable laws. For details, contact the hospital’s Security or the AOD (Administrator on Duty) and describe the special circumstances.