Hospitals in DFW have further limited visitation to their hospitals, with several closing inpatient and emergency department areas to visitors. Exceptions may be made on case-by-case basis, in certain areas of the hospital, and when a patient is nearing the end of life.
In addition to not allowing visitors into inpatient and emergency departments, Texas Health is also limiting one visitor into the labor and delivery and post-partum areas, and visitors to the NICU are limited to the two parents. A parent can accompany their child in the emergency area as well. For outpatient areas, one visitor will be allowed. Last week, Texas Health was the first health system to cancel elective surgeries.
At Medical City, “hospitals are not permitting visitors with the exception of individuals deemed necessary to the patient’s care,” which includes 1-2 parents in the NICU, 1 support person in labor and delivery, a support person for those with disabilities, driver for outpatient services, and a support person for those at the end of life.
Methodist Health too, is not allowing visitors except for 1-2 parents or guardians for NICU patients or those under 18, a support person for labor and delivery patients, one support person for patients with disabilities, one support person or driver for those in outpatient surgery, at the end of life, in acute trauma, or a transplant patient.
Baylor Scott and White Health, “recently moved to a no visitor policy,” according to a statement. “We will be offering limited exceptions to the policy, including one parent, spouse or caretaker over the age of 16 for a pediatric or NICU patient, laboring/post-partum patient, patients with disabilities or impairments, patients requiring surgery or other medical procedures and patients requiring end-of-life care.”
At Children’s Medical Center, visitor limitations have also been implemented, and include two designated caregivers 18 years or older. Visitors will be given an orange bracelet to wear during the stay. The restriction includes all playrooms, food service locations, lobbies and waiting rooms in the hospital, and caregivers with fever or respiratory symptoms will not be allowed inside the hospital.
At UTSW, visitors have been limited to one visitor per patient, and those under the age of 12 are not permitted.
