Patients & Visitors
Visitor Guidelines (Effective April 18, 2022)
Visitation Hours: 6 a.m. – 9 p.m., 7 days a week
We recognize visits from family members and friends are integral to the physical and emotional well-being of our patients. Please note...children must be 13 and over to enter patient rooms.
Visitation for non-COVID patients:
- To ensure your safety and the safety of our patients, please check at the nurse's station before visiting a patient who is in isolation.
- Visitors/care teem members, by entry, agree to being free of COVID symptoms/exposure.
- Medical/Surgical, Pediatrics, OB/GYN and ER patients may have two (2) visitor(s) at a time in their room.
- ICU/CVICU patients may have one (1) visitor at a time in their room. The ICU waiting room will be available for ICU/CVICU patient visitors from 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.
- Patients may have one (1) care team member with them overnight. A care team member is defined as someone who will be in the room helping with care.
- Care team members must remain in the patient’s room during their visit (except if dining in the cafeteria).
Please note the below distinction made between a care team member and a visitor.
- Care team member: a family member, friend or other individual who, at the request of the patient, is permitted to be present and assist the patient during his/her stay.
- Visitor: a family member, friend or other individual who makes a social call on a patient for a short period of time
The exceptions to this revised visitor policy include:
- 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.
- All behavioral health programs will not be allowing a care team member.
- Other exceptions not listed above will be considered on a case-by-case basis. We encourage our patient families to consider remote visits using telephone or video chat.
Care team members 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.
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.