Visitation Policy

Updated June 6, 2023

DCH Health System follows the federal Hospital Conditions of Participation 42 C.F.R. § 482.13(h) and the Alabama Act 2023-24 Visitation Requirements for determining its visitation policy.

Many physician offices in DCH medical office buildings are independent of DCH and have their own visitation rules. If you are coming for a doctor’s appointment, please contact the clinic’s office prior to arrival to verify their requirements.

Visitation regulations for long-term care facilities differ from hospital requirements. The visitation guidelines for Fayette Medical Center’s Long Term Care facility are updated as conditions change and can be found here https://www.dchsystem.com/locations/fayette-medical-center/long-term-care-covid-updates/.

Alabama Act 2023-24 Visitation Requirements does not apply to facilities designated for psychiatric care such as North Harbor Pavilion at Northport Medical Center. The visitation rules for that area are as follows:

North Harbor

• Up to two support people per patient, per day during designated visitation hours.
• Geriatric Unit Visitation Days and Times
  • Wednesday and Friday, 4-5 p.m.
  • Sunday, 3-5 p.m.
• Adult Unit Visitation Days and Times
  • Tuesday and Thursday, 3-5 p.m.

Visitation guidelines for other areas are outlined below. The following visitor restriction policy is effective at 7:00 a.m. on June 7, 2023, and will remain in force until further notice.

Visitation Requirements for All Other Areas

Each patient or the patient’s designated decision maker can designate a single essential caregiver who is 19 years or older. As long as the staff’s ability to provide care is not hindered, the essential caregiver is in addition to the number of normal visitors.

A member of the clergy can visit a patient’s room for up to two hours during normal visiting hours or after hours if there is an extenuating circumstances such as an end-of-life event.

Unless otherwise noted, visitation hours are from 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. From 9 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. each day, no new visitors will be allowed except for extenuating circumstances such as end-of-life events. A single essential caregiver, as designated by the patient or the patient’s designated decision-maker, is allowed to stay overnight but that person must check in with security and receive a visitor badge when visitation closes at 9 p.m.

Each visitor must check in with security to receive a visitor badge before proceeding to a patient’s room.

Patients cannot leave their care area to go outside to visit with others.

Consensual physical contact, such as hand holding or placing a hand on the patient’s arm, is allowed between patients and visitors. Intimate physical contact, such as intercourse, is not allowed.

• Unless otherwise noted, any visitor allowed into an area must:
  • Wear personal protective equipment in certain circumstances if deemed necessary by the clinical staff.
  • Agree to practice appropriate hand hygiene.
  • Remain in the patient’s room or the assigned waiting room.
  • Be courteous and kind to the staff and others.
  • Follow all clinical staff instructions.
  • Be at least 19 years old. Individuals who are 18 years old or younger can visit but must be accompanied and supervised at all times by an individual who is 19 years or older. The minor and his/her accompanying adult are each counted as individual visitors where numerical visitor restrictions apply. An individual who is 18 years or younger cannot be designated as the patient’s essential caregiver.

Infectious Disease Patients

• One support person will be allowed at a time for any patients found to have an infectious disease other than end-of-life events, palliative care and/or corresponding consultations.
  • The support person must check in with the nurse’s station and receive instructions.
  • The support person must use, at all times, approved personal protective equipment during the visit and will be required to follow all clinical staff instructions related to the visit.

End of Life Events for Patients with Infectious Diseases

• The number of support people present during end-of-life events will be determined on a case by case basis.
  • Support people must check in with the nurse’s station and receive instructions.
  • Support people will be required to follow all clinical staff instructions related to the visit.

Non-Infectious Disease Inpatients

• Each patient who does not have an infectious disease can have up to two visitors (with exceptions noted below) in the patient’s room as long as this can be done without hindering the staff’s ability to provide appropriate care.

ICU Units

• ICU visitation may be limited due to the patient’s medical condition. Up to two visitors at a time per ICU patient.

RMC / NMC Maternal/Child Services

• General visitation for those other than the designated support person will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • NICU – Up to two visitors at a time per NICU patient. A maximum of two visitors may visit per day.
    • Each visitor must have a patient identification band.
    • Support people for NICU patients are exempt from the general visitation hours.
    • To avoid overcrowding, NICU staff may need to limit the total number of people in the unit at any given time. Visitors must comply with these restrictions if implemented.
  • Visitors in Triage – The RN may ask to interview and assess the patient in triage. If the separation is an unpleasant issue for the patient and/or support person(s), then one visitor may be allowed.
  • Labor and Delivery – Each patient may have up to two visitors in the LDRP room. Visitors should check in at the nurse’s station.
  • Antepartum and Postpartum – After the patient’s recovery period is over, each patient may have up to three visitors at any one time.
  • C-Section – Patients may have up to two visitors in the OR if patient is not under general anesthesia.
    • Participants may leave the OR suite when the baby is taken to the Nursery and may return to the OR suite if desired.
    • The patient’s privacy will be maximized by keeping the doors closed.
  • Sibling Visitation – Siblings 12 years or older may visit between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. Siblings under the age of 12 may visit during the postpartum/antepartum stay between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. They must be accompanied by an adult. Siblings should be free of infection and have a report of no known communicable disease contact within the last three weeks.
• The visitation may be discontinued at the discretion of the RN / Physician or if the condition of the mother and baby warrants it.
• Visitors are not to remain in the waiting area after the designated visiting hours are over.

Outpatient Cancer Treatment

• One visitor per outpatient cancer treatment patient for the initial consultation, change in treatment and/or test results discussion only due to the compromised immune system of the patients.
• One visitor per outpatient cancer treatment patient for treatment (only if the patient is insufficiently healthy or not mobile enough to proceed without assistance; otherwise, no visitors).

Emergency Department

• In order to preserve limited common area space, up to one support person may accompany a patient who is 19 years or older in the Emergency Department waiting area and when the individual has been assigned a private room.
• For patients 18 years or younger, up to two visitors may accompany the patient in the Emergency Department waiting area and when the individual has been assigned a private room.
• If the patient must be temporarily located in a hall bed then visitation will be allowed but limited to brief intervals to avoid congestion.
  • Each visitor must remain in the patient’s room.