North Egypt News

SSM Health in Illinois has removed its no visitation policy on June 29, which allowed a single support visitor per patient a day.

According to the new policy, each patient may only receive one guest a day and no guest rotations in rooms, a press release from the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce said in late June. All patients who are allowed visitors are inpatient, outpatient surgical procedures, emergency department and clinical appointments patients. 

The policy makes exceptions for patients near death, who will be allowed two visitors in their room, the release said. Obstetrics patients also have an exception of two visitors per day, as well as patients in clinics and the ER. 

But COVID-19 patients still will not be allowed any visitors, the release stated.

With the visitation policy comes new visiting hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Outpatient surgical cases and emergency department guests aren't restricted by these hours, though. 

When a person visits SSM Health, they will be expected to adhere to certain guidelines, which include wearing a face mask or covering at all times, screened for coronavirus symptoms, wash their hands when entering and leaving a patients room, keep a distance of six feet from the patient they are visiting and wear the badge/armband given as a way to be identified in the building, the press release said.