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: Purple
- No visitors will be permitted for ADULT patients, except:
- To provide support to patients with physical, intellectual and/or developmental or cognitive disabilities. One support person to be present when medically necessary.
- Labor & Delivery patients may have one support person and a doula, if used. After delivery, only one support person allowed.
- Compassionate Care visitation is allowed for patients at end of life and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- All visitors will be screened before entering the facility.
- All visitors must be 18 years or older, have a temperature below 100.0 F and no signs/symptoms of COVID-19 for the past two days, and 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 14 days will not be permitted to enter any CMHS location.
- Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 14 days, or has a pending COVID test, should not visit or accompany a patient.
- All approved visitors must wear appropriate personal protective equipment and clean hands frequently (using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water).
- Visitors/support persons must maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet between persons.
- Visitors/support persons must remain in the patient’s room, except when accessing public restrooms.
- 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.
General Hospital Visitation Guidelines: Red
- All patients without COVID-19 may have one healthy visitor per day. 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 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily.
- Overnight visitation will not be allowed.
- All visitors will be screened before entering the facility.
- All visitors must be 18 years or older, have a temperature below 100.0 F and no signs/symptoms of COVID-19 for the past two days, and 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 14 days will not be permitted to enter any CMHS location.
- Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 14 days should not visit or accompany a patient.
- All approved visitors must wear appropriate personal protective equipment and clean hands frequently (using alcohol-based hand sanitizer or soap and water).
- Visitors/support persons must maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet between persons.
- Visitors/support persons must remain in the patient’s room, except when accessing public restrooms.
- 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.
General Hospital Visitation Guidelines: Orange
- 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 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily. Visiting hours end at 9 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 14 days will not be permitted to enter any CMHS location.
- Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 14 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 remain in the patient’s room, except when accessing public restrooms.
- 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: Purple
Adult Patients
| LEVEL PURPLE | COVID Positive or Suspected | COVID Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitalized Patients | No visitors | No visitors |
| 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 | 1 support person where special assistance is required 2 persons may be designated, but only 1 may be present at a time |
| Compassionate Care Visits | Maximum of 1 visitor allowed at a time. | Maximum of 1 visitor allowed at a time. |
| Labor and Delivery | 1 support person | 1 support person and a Doula, if used. Doula must leave after delivery. |
| Mother-Baby | 1 support person | 1 support person |
| Emergency Department | No Visitors | No visitors, unless special assistance is required** |
| Outpatient Procedures- Cath Lab, Surgery | No Visitors | One 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 PURPLE | COVID Positive or Suspected | COVID Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitalized Patients | One parent or guardian | 2 parents or guardians |
| NICU | One parent or banded individual | 2 parents or banded individuals |
| Emergency Department | One parent or guardian | 2 parents or guardians |
| Outpatient Procedures- Cath Lab, Surgery | One parent or guardian | 2 parents or guardians |
| Ambulatory Clinics | One parent or guardian | 2 parents or guardians |
Specialty Area Guidelines Based on Current Risk Level: Red
Adult Patients
| LEVEL RED | COVID Positive or Suspected | COVID Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitalized Patients | No visitors | 1 designated visitor |
| 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 | 1 support person where special assistance is required 2 persons may be designated, but only 1 may be present at a time |
| Compassionate Care Visits | Maximum of 2 visitors allowed at a time. | 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. If a Doula is used they are counted as 1 support person. 1 support person or Doula must leave after delivery. |
| Mother-Baby | 1 banded support person | 1 banded support person |
| Emergency Department | No Visitors | 1 designated visitor |
| Outpatient Procedures- Cath Lab, Surgery | No Visitors | One 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 RED | COVID Positive or Suspected | COVID Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Hospitalized Patients | 2 parents or guardians | 2 parents or guardians |
| NICU | 1 parent or banded individual | 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 | 1 parent or guardian – unless both parents specified by treating provider |
Specialty Area Guidelines Based on Current Risk Level: Orange
Adult Patients
| LEVEL ORANGE | 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 person where special assistance is required |
| Compassionate Care Visits | Maximum of 2 visitors allowed at a time. | 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 designated visitor |
| Outpatient Procedures- Cath Lab, Surgery | No Visitors | 1 support persons at time of service |
| Ambulatory Clinics | 2 support person where special assistance is required | 2 support person where special assistance is required |
Pediatric Patients
| LEVEL ORANGE | 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
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.
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