Duke, UNC, WakeMed hospitals to severely restrict visitors, starting Monday
Starting Monday, visitor access to Duke, UNC and WakeMed medical facilities will be severely restricted as a response to the growing coronavirus pandemic.
On Saturday, all three released information saying no visitors will be allowed in patient areas, beginning Monday, with limited exceptions.
UNC’s policies apply to UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, UNC REX in Raleigh, Chatham Hospital in Siler City, UNC Hospitals in Hillsborough and Johnston Health in Clayton and Smithfield.
Duke’s new policies apply to Duke University Hospital and Duke Regional Hospital, both in Durham, as well as Duke Raleigh Hospital.
WakeMed’s policies apply to all its facilities.
UNC will no longer allow visitors under the age of 18. Persons who are older than 65, immunocompromised or pregnant are discouraged from visiting.
UNC’s exceptions to the no visitation policy allow a single visitor to accompany a pediatric patient, the partner for a laboring mother, a companion for an emergency department patient, one companion in an outpatient area, one visitor for in-person discharge instructions and one visitor for a 24-hour period following a surgery or invasive procedure.
End-of-life situations will be handled on a case-to-case basis by UNC. In addition, an exception could be made for situations where the care team determines that a family member or significant other is essential to patient care.
At Duke hospitals, multiple visitors are allowed for patients nearing end of life or on hospice. Only a single visitor will be allowed for patients who are children, patients in the labor and delivery unit and patients being discharged from the hospital.
Patients and visitors who meet these exceptions will be screened before entering all Duke Health facilities.
New guidelines for health facilities
UNC Health also issued new guidelines for all its health facilities on Saturday. Attempting to limit the coronavirus spread, UNC Health will provide only priority, urgent and emergency visits, procedures and surgical cases.
Patients who are approved for an in-person visit are asked to come alone. No children will be allowed in the healthcare facility unless they are being seen by a healthcare provider.
At WakeMed, no visitors under the age of 12 will be permitted. Patients with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 will not be allowed to have visitors.
Any visitor to WakeMed will have to answer health screening questions.
Only one visitor is allowed for pediatric patients (including neonatal intensive care, pediatric intensive care, children’s hospital and children’s emergency department), emergency department patients, 24 hours following a surgery or invasive procedure and when in-person discharge instructions are being given.
The partner or doula of a laboring/postpartum mother will be allowed to visit.
For WakeMed’s outpatient/physician practice locations, patients are encouraged to come to appointments alone if they are able.
Exceptions may also be made for end-of-life situations on a case-by-case basis.
These moves by the Triangle’s largest healthcare providers are an attempt to slow community spread of coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 21, 2020 at 4:30 PM.