Visitor guidelines
Visitor guidelines
Hospital and clinic visitor guidelines
As of November 18, 2020, visitor status is red.
To protect the health and safety of our patients and care teams, Allina Health has updated our visitor guidelines. As we continue to monitor the spread of COVID-19, the visitor guidelines will be updated as needed to help keep patients, staff and you safe. Check back often for the most current guidelines. More information and any exceptions to these updated guidelines are explained below.
These are the limited exceptions for visitors while in RED status:
Red status:
No visitors are allowed for patients staying in the hospital for a treatment, surgery or procedure.
The following are the exceptions to this guideline:
- Pediatric patients: One parent or legal guardian will be allowed in the room.
- Patients who require help due to an impairment or disability: One adult or legal guardian will be allowed in the room.
Compassionate care exceptions will be considered.
Important: Patients who have COVID-19 may not have visitors. Exceptions may be made for:
- children under the age of 18
- women giving birth
- patients who require help due to an impairment or disability
- compassionate care
Red status:
One visitor allowed prior to surgery. That visitor may return after surgery.
- The visitor can wait in the available waiting areas or in the patient room if it is available and determined appropriate by staff.
- If there are capacity issues in the waiting area, visitor may be asked to wait outside the facility.
The following are the exceptions to this guideline:
- Pediatric patients: One parent or legal guardian will be allowed in the room.
- Patients who require help due to an impairment or disability: One adult or legal guardian will be allowed in the room.
Compassionate care exceptions will be considered.
Important: Patients who have COVID-19 may not have visitors. Exceptions may be made for:
- children under the age of 18
- patients who require help due to an impairment or disability
- compassionate care
Red status:
No visitors are allowed for patients receiving care in the Emergency Department.
The following are the exceptions to this guideline:
- Pediatric patients: One parent or legal guardian will be allowed in the room.
- Patients who require help due to an impairment or disability: One adult or legal guardian will be allowed in the room.
- Trauma or critical care patients: One adult or legal guardian will be allowed in the room.
Compassionate care exceptions will be considered.
Red status:
One support person is allowed. This includes triage, labor, delivery and post-partum areas. In addition to one support person, a trained doula will be allowed for support during labor and delivery. Learn more about the birth center support person guidelines.
Newborns: No visitors other than two parents, guardians, primary caretakers, or intended parents in surrogate birth. Exceptions will be considered for compassionate care.
Red status:
Compassionate care exceptions are made for patients who:
- are actively dying
- have sudden decline in medical condition
- are having surgery
Case-by-case exceptions are made with the clinical team, patient care manager, house supervisor, or all. Consideration may be given to patients who have extended length of stays.
Red status:
No visitors are allowed for patients receiving mental health care. The following are the exceptions to this guideline:
- Child and adolescent patients: One parent or legal guardian will be allowed.
- Adult geriatric-psychiatry patients: One legal guardian will be allowed.
- Patients who require help due to an impairment or disability: One legal guardian will be allowed.
Red status:
A caregiver may need to help when a patient is ready to go home. Discharge planning is important to maintain patient safety.
- One visitor for each patient is allowed to help with the discharge process.
- The patient care manager or designee can help decide which caregiver can visit and when is the best time for the visit.
- In most cases, discharge planning happens on the day the patient is going home.
Red status:
- Patients who need help during an appointment may have one visitor (age 18 or older) come with them to their appointment. The visitor must pass the COVID-19 symptom screening.
- A patient younger than age 18 may have one parent or legal guardian visitor.
- Patients who do not need help during an appointment should come alone.
Visitor guidelines (for limited exceptions)
If you qualify for a visitor exception, these guidelines must be followed:
- You will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and must pass the screening to visit a patient. If you leave the building you must show your screening sticker or be re-screened to re-enter.
- You must wear a mask, visitor badge and screening sticker at all times during your visit.
- You must have good hand hygiene and practice physical distancing during the visit. Hand sanitizer is located at all building entrances and on patient care units.
- If the waiting room is full, you may be asked to wait outside the building.
- You should visit only the patient’s room and avoid other areas. You may be asked to step out of the room during an exam or treatment.
Visitors under the age of 18 will only be allowed if a compassionate exception has been granted.
We understand that it is difficult when a loved one is hospitalized and you are not able to visit them in person. Our patient video conferencing software, Care to Connect, allows you to remotely connect.