ELKINS, W.Va. – Starting this week, some patient visitation rules at Davis Health System hospitals will be relaxed. Stricter guidelines were put in effect amid the Coronavirus pandemic which began in March, 2020.  Health system officials hope lessening those strict rules will alleviate anxiety felt by patients, families and caregivers alike.

“It’s not the nature of caregivers to suggest patients and families be kept apart.  In fact, under normal circumstances we promote it as essential to healing,” said Dr. Catherine “Mindy” Chua DO, FAAFP, FMNM, CPE, Davis Health System Chief Medical Officer.  “We’re happy to finally begin slowly lessening the rules of the temporary visitation policy.”

Davis Medical Center Instructions for Visitors: 

• All visitors will wear a mask throughout their entire stay. Masks will be available for those who do not have their own.
• All visitors will practice proper hand hygiene upon entry and departure from patient rooms and the facility.
• Visitors must be age 18 or older.
• Further visitation exceptions for compassionate care and essential caregivers will be made on a case-by-case basis.
• Each patient will determine 2 persons as “designated visitors” during the admission process. Only designated visitors will be allowed to visit during the patient’s length of stay.
• Only one visitor will be allowed in the room with the patient at a time.
• Designated visitor must check in with the unit secretary upon arrival to receive a “punch card”.   When the visitor leaves the hospital for the day, the punch card will be marked.   Visitors must present the punch card each day they present for visitation.
• During their visit, guests may leave only for dining within the hospital.  Those who leave the building will not be allowed to return to the patient room on that same day.

According to Davis Health System, the rules are enforced for the further protection of guests, patients and staff, and are subject to change in response to future COVID activity.

“Until our communities are completely free from the threat of Coronavirus spread, we will continue to follow CDC safe practice guidelines.  This revised policy is geared toward minimizing any risk of exposure or spread.  Guests may not visit patients in the hospital who have tested positive for COVID, or who are under investigation for a positive result,” Chua added.

Additional department-specific guidelines apply to Davis Medical Center visitation.  These include:

• Emergency Department patients are allowed one person to accompany them.  They must remain with the patient at all times.   Other visitors must remain in vehicles. Compassionate care exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
• Adult and pediatric patients having an outpatient procedure or surgery may have one designated guest accompany them, and remain with them until the procedure.  Once the patient is taken for their procedure, the guest will wait in the Surgical Waiting Area. 
• Inpatient surgical case visitors will wait in the patient room.   Once the surgical procedure is finished, the  visitor will be directed to the physician consultation room to await the surgeon. 
• Adult and pediatric patients with appointments in the Family Practice, Pediatric, or Specialty Clinics may have one designated person over the age of 18 accompany them. Guests must wear a face covering throughout the office visit.