Patients & Visitors
Current Visitor Guidelines
Based on the increasing incidence of COVID-19, effective Saturday April 4th, and until further notice, Merit Health River Region will implement a revised visitor policy for all hospital facilities (excluding hospital-based clinics) as follows:
- Adults: Adult patient visitors will not be permitted (with exceptions as outlined below)
- Pediatric patients: Visitation will permit one adult visitor who must be a parent or legal guardian.
- Regardless, we encourage our patient families to consider remote visits using telephone or video chat.
- All behavioral health programs continue their strict ‘No Visitors’ policy
The exceptions to this revised visitor policy include:
- OB patients may be accompanied by one (1) partner or birth support person.
- Adult patients who have been determined by the care team to be at the “end-of-life” may be visited by members of the immediate family.
- Pediatric patients receiving treatment in the Emergency Department may be accompanied by one visitor.
- Every effort will be made to grant requests from a patient or family member for a visit from a chaplain, chaplain intern, Eucharistic minister, community clergy, or other spiritual advisor.
- Other exceptions not listed above will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Building Access:
- All patients and visitors needing to enter a hospital facility, including for an appointment at hospital-based clinic or procedural unit, will enter through one of the two available entrances:
- Main Front Entrance (6 a.m.-6 p.m.; locked after 6 p.m.)
- Emergency Department Entrance
Visitor Screening:
- All patients and visitors (those meeting exception criteria) will be screened at the two entrances listed above.
- Individuals who exhibit symptoms associated with respiratory illness (fever, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath) or report they have recently visited an area identified as a location experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak will receive further evaluation to determine next steps.
- Visitors that meet any of the screening criteria will not be allowed to enter under any circumstances, unless they request ER care, at which point they will be escorted to the ER.
To Note:
- Visitors allowed entrance according to the revised policy, or according to one of the above listed exceptions, must stay in the patients’ room or associated waiting room during the entirety of their visit until ready to leave the facility.
- Exceptions to this should be requested from and granted by the unit’s nursing staff.
- Approved visitors will not be able to re-enter the hospital after 6 p.m. and will have to wait until the following day (6 a.m.)
Support persons are asked to practice infection prevention:
- Sanitize your hands when entering the hospital and when entering or exiting patient rooms.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with your elbow or a tissue; dispose of used tissues in the trash.
- Sanitize your hands after coughing or sneezing.
If you would like to drop off a card, gift or other message of encouragement, we are happy to deliver those to patients. You may also call a patient’s room so they can hear your voice and you can hear how they are doing. The hospital has free Wi-Fi, so you may visit patients using Facetime or another video communication app.
We appreciate your patience, understanding and compliance. With your help we can maintain a safe environment for all our patients and staff during this time of uncertainty.
At Merit Health River Region, we understand that coming to the hospital as a patient or as a loved one's support person can be a difficult, often overwhelming experience. Whether you’re preparing for a hospital stay or stopping by to see friends and family, knowing where to go and what to bring will help make your visit less stressful. To make your experience easier, we want to provide you with helpful information you may need to plan your visit, such as what to expect, parking instructions, transportation and more.