Patient Visitation Policy

To maintain a safe environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have temporarily revised our visitation policy. These guidelines apply to all patients within Community Memorial Hospital and Ojai Valley Community Hospital.

General Hospital Visitation Guidelines: Yellow

All patients without COVID-19 may have two healthy visitors at a time. Exception: patients with suspected COVID-19 will not be permitted visitors until a negative test is received.
Visitors will be allowed entry between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Visiting hours end at 8 p.m.
Overnight visitation will not be allowed.
All visitors will be screened before entering the facility.
Visitors are required to check in upon entry to the hospital to receive a visitor badge AND return the visitor badge upon checkout when leaving the hospital to ensure only two are present for each patient.
All visitors must be 18 years or older
All visitors must have a temperature below 100.0 F and no signs/symptoms of COVID-19 for the past two days
All visitors must wear a face mask at all times.
Visitors who are ill, have a fever or have had exposure to a suspected/confirmed COVID-19 contact within the past 10 days will not be permitted to enter any CMHS location.
Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 10 days should not visit or accompany a patient.
All approved visitors must clean hands frequently (using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water).
All visitors must wear additional personal protective equipment if directed to do so by nursing staff.
Visitors/support persons must maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet between persons.
Visitors/support persons must refrain from eating and drinking in patient rooms, as these activities necessitate mask removal.

Note: Only visitors meeting the outlined criteria and not exceeding allowed numbers will be permitted access into the facilities. All additional individuals must remain outside of the hospital.

Note: Visitors unable or unwilling to comply with these infection prevention requirements will be restricted from visiting in person and encouraged to use alternative visitation methods.

Note: Circumstances with specific caregiving needs will be handled on a case-by-case basis in consultation with nursing and the attending physician. Nursing management must approve any exception to these guidelines.

Specialty Area Guidelines Based on Current Risk Level: Yellow

Adult Patients

LEVEL YELLOW	COVID Positive or Suspected	COVID Negative
Hospitalized Patients	No visitors	2 visitors at a time
Patients with Physical, Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities Patients with Cognitive Impairment	1 support person where special assistance is required 2 persons may be designated, but only 1 may be present at a time	2 support persons where special assistance is required
Compassionate Care Visits	Maximum of 2 visitors allowed at a time. See guidance below.	Maximum of 2 visitors allowed at a time.
Labor and Delivery	1 support person and a Doula, if used. Doula must leave after delivery.	2 support persons and a Doula, if used. Doula must leave after delivery.
Mother-Baby	1 banded support person	1 banded support person plus one other support person No children, including siblings
Emergency Department	No Visitors	1 support person
Outpatient Procedures- Cath Lab, Surgery	No Visitors	1 support person at time of service
Ambulatory Clinics	1 support person where special assistance is required	1 support person where special assistance is required

Pediatric Patients

LEVEL YELLOW	COVID Positive or Suspected	COVID Negative
Hospitalized Patients	2 parents or guardians	2 parents or guardians
NICU	2 parents or banded individuals	2 parents or banded individuals
Emergency Department	2 parents or guardians	2 parents or guardians
Outpatient Procedures- Cath Lab, Surgery	2 parents or guardians	2 parents or guardians
Ambulatory Clinics	2 parents or guardians or one parent and one sibling (2 people maximum)	2 parents or guardians or one parent and one sibling (2 people maximum)

Definitions:

Compassionate Care Visits – Compassionate care situations refer to end-of life and or hospice care, but may include other visits to support grieving patients, or to provide religious and spiritual support. The patients care team may make compassionate exceptions when appropriate

Fully Vaccinated: Individuals are considered fully vaccinated for COVID-19 two weeks or more after they have received the second dose in a 2-dose series (Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna or other vaccine authorized by the World Health Organization), or two weeks or more after they have received a single-dose vaccine (Johnson and Johnson [J&J]/Janssen).

Special assistance** is any circumstance where a patient’s care team determines that a visitor is critical to physical or emotional care

For assistance in determining extenuating circumstances to override the above restrictions, please contact the Nursing Director associated with the unit, or the Vice President, Patient Care/CNO for guidance.

Options for Alternative Visiting

We encourage visitation using virtual means and phone calls to connect with loved ones while they are in the hospital.
If help is needed with this, please let a staff member know. Examples include FaceTime, Facebook Messenger, Skype, Zoom, WebEx or other web-based video chatting platforms.

We understand the importance of family and friends in the healing process and ask that you help us minimize possible exposures during these times. If you have any questions, please call 805/948-8170.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience.