ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Albany Med Health System will be implementing temporary visitor restrictions at several hospitals across the Capital Region. The changes will go into effect on Monday.
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The Albany Med Health System said the restrictions are due to the rise of seasonal respiratory viruses. The new guidelines reportedly aim to limit the transmission of viruses and other illnesses to protect the hospitals’ patients and professionals.
The restrictions will be implemented in inpatient areas at Albany Medical Center, Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital and Saratoga Hospital. You can find the new policies for each hospital below:
Temporary visitor restrictions
Albany Medical Center
- Visiting hours — 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Do not visit if you have a cold or respiratory or flu-like systems (such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath)
- Visits not allowed from children under the age of 12
- All visitors must enter through B2 entrance
- Only two visitors allowed at a patient’s bedside at a time
- Pediatric patients and patients with special needs may have one visitor stay overnight at bedside
- Patients admitted outside of visiting hours may be accompanied to the unit by two visitors for 15 minutes
- Labor and Delivery patients may have two visitors and a doula (if requested) at the bedside
- Members of the clergy may visit at any time with a patient’s permission
- Visitors should wash their hands before entering and upon leaving a patient’s room and use the hand sanitizers located throughout the hospital
- Visitors to patients who are on enhanced droplet and contact precautions need to see a nurse about PPE before entering a patient’s room
- The health care team is able to make some exceptions to meet the needs of patients in certain circumstances such as end-of-life
Columbia Memorial Health
- Visiting hours — 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Do not visit if you have a cold or respiratory or flu-like systems (such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath)
- Patients may have up to two healthy visitors per day.
- Visits not allowed from children under the age of 12
- Patient and family conferences may be scheduled outside of this timeframe
Glens Falls Hospital
- Visiting hours — 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Do not visit if you have a cold or respiratory or flu-like systems (such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath)
- Visits not allowed from children under the age of 12
- Each inpatient may have two healthy visitors at a time; visitors may come and go during visiting hours
- Visitors must enter only through the Tower Entrance, where they will be greeted and screened by security
- Visitors should use hand sanitizer at the screening station and practice good hand hygiene for the duration of their visit
- Eating and drinking allowed in patient rooms
- Visitation is not allowed for COVID-19 positive infectious patients
- On the day of discharge from an inpatient stay, two visitors may accompany the patient for the discharge process outside of visiting hours
Saratoga Hospital
- Visiting hours — 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Do not visit if you have a cold or respiratory or flu-like systems (such as fever, sore throat, cough or shortness of breath)
- Each patient may have two visitors at a time
- Visitors must be age 12 or older; visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult
- Masks are recommended but not required unless you have respiratory symptoms (cough, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, fever)
- All pediatric patients up to the age of 18 may have two designated support persons with them at all times
- Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, and patients with cognitive impairments (including dementia) may designate one support person to remain with them throughout their hospitalization
A full list of exceptions and other off-site facility policies can be found on the Albany Med Health System website.
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