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  • Luminis Health Visitor Guidelines

    Last Updated 8:00 am Monday, August 31, 2020.

    Caring for and protecting our patients, families, employees, and the community during COVID-19 is of the utmost importance to Luminis Health. As a patient- and family-centered organization, we continue to review and update our visitor guidelines and practices as the situation changes.

    Below are the most up-to-date guidelines across Anne Arundel Medical Center and Doctors Community Medical Center, effective Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. While temporary restrictions remain in place, exceptions and guidelines for specific areas are below. General guidelines apply to all visitors.

    GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR ALL PATIENTS, FAMILY MEMBERS AND SUPPORT PERSONS

    • Family members/Support persons must always wear masks.
    • Family members/Support persons must wash hands upon entry to hospital and entry into and exit from patient rooms.
    • We will screen family members/support persons for COVID-19 symptoms when entering the hospital.
    • Family members/Support persons should stay in the patient’s room and limit walking to public bathrooms and cafes.
    • Family members/Support persons should not gather in lounges, lobbies, or hallways.
    • Family members/Support persons attending palliative, hospice, or goals of care meetings may have up to three persons in a meeting room. Two persons may be at the bedside.
    • Family members/Support persons should be 18 years and older unless the visit is for end of life.
    • Clergy of any denomination may visit a patient at any time. They will not count in the visitor max.
    • Patients who are 21 years of age or under may have a parent or guardian with them.
    • Family members/Support persons who serve as a surrogate decision maker, including power of attorney or court-appointed guardianship for a patient, and need to be physically present to engage in the decision making process are permitted. The attending physician will be the final decision maker as to whether someone needs to be physically present.
    • Hospital guests with an official governmental function may be present.

    Guidelines by Station and Unit

    Acute Life-Threatening Event:

    • All patients, including those with COVID-19 positive results, may have up to two family members/support persons at bedside, allowed 24/7 on all units.

    Intensive Care Unit (ICU):

    • At AAMC, up to two family members/support persons per day may visit from 8 am-8 pm for all patients, both with COVID-19 positive and COVID negative results.
    • At DCMC, the ICU will not have general visiting hours. Visitor approval is on a case-by-case basis. 

    End of Life:

    If the health care team deems the patient is at end of life, the care team will contact family (as defined by patient).

    • Patients who have COVID-19 negative results may have up to two family members/support persons at bedside, 24/7 on all units.
      • Family members/Support persons may switch throughout the visit.
      • An adult must be with minors under 18. The minor counts as the second visitor.
    • Patients who have COVID-19 positive results may have up to two designated family members/support persons at bedside, 24/7 on all units.
      • Family members/Support persons may not switch throughout the visit.
      • An adult must be with minors under 18. The minor counts as the second visitor.

    Patients with Disabilities:

    For patients with disabilities, support persons provide personal, behavioral and/or communication support not otherwise provided in a hospital setting. A support person may be appropriate for, but is not limited to, patients with intellectual, developmental, physical or neurocognitive disabilities. A support person can include, but is not limited to family members, personal care assistants and/or disability service providers. 

    • One support person can be present with patient 24/7 on all units. Applicable to all patients, including those with COVID-19 positive results.   
    • We may ask support persons or caregivers to leave the room during certain procedures.

    Labor and Delivery/Mother Baby:                                   

    • One family member/support person per laboring patient may be with the patient during their entire stay.  

    Pediatrics:

    • One parent/guardian may be with the patient during their entire stay. Applicable to all patients, including those who have COVID-19 positive results.
    • If critically ill, two family members (defined by patient/family) may be present per above “Acute Life-Threatening” guidelines.
    • If siblings are present and have no one to care for them, please contact leadership.

    Emergency Department:

    • One family member/support person may be with patient through the completion of the triage process.  
    • If critically ill, two family members (defined by patient/family) may be present per above “Acute Life-Threatening” guidelines. 

    Surgical/Procedural Patients:

    • Patients arriving from home and undergoing a scheduled surgery or procedure may have one family member/support person present during surgical/procedural check-in.  
    • We will ask the family member/support person to wait elsewhere during the surgery/procedure. Hospital staff will call when it is time to pick up the patient.

       Frequently Asked Questions

    • Hospital staff will reach out to a designated family member, as agreed to by the patient, to communicate about the patient’s condition. In addition, hospital staff will help you in communicating directly with the patient.

      Employees are trained in the management of infectious disease and Luminis Health is following recommendations of the CDC, Maryland Department of Health and other health care organizations. We understand that it is unsettling not to be able to visit your loved one, but these visitor restrictions are designed to keep both you and your loved one safe during this time. 

      During this pandemic, our patients still need care for health conditions unrelated to COVID-19, and we will continue to serve and care for the needs of all patients within the constraints of safely managing through the COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to providing essential health services and to caring for our community. 

    • Additional requests will be determined on a case-by-case basis by the administrator on call. We appreciate your understanding during these extraordinary times. We are confident that together we will continue to deliver the highest quality of care.