Catholic Health Visitor Guidelines

In response to the recent increase of COVID-19 cases across Western New York, Catholic Health is temporarily suspending visitations at its hospitals and long term care facilities effective November 13. Catholic Health made the decision in consultation with its Infection Control specialists and with the support of the New York State Department of Health to protect the health and safety of its patients, long term care residents, and staff.

Exceptions to these visitor restrictions will be made in certain circumstances, such as:

• End of Life/Significant Change in Condition – which must first be discussed and approved by facility leadership. This includes end of life patients with a COVID-19 diagnosis.
• Essential Support Persons – for patients who are intellectually, cognitively or developmentally disabled and require special needs/assistance/support.
• Visitors who are deemed to be essential for discharge education in order to facilitate a safe discharge from the facility. Virtual education is encouraged but is not always possible. This exception may be allowed at the discretion of the clinical team.
• Maternal/Child Patients are permitted one visitor during their stay in addition to a doula if requested. In our NICUs, the baby’s mother and one support person (not subject to change) will be allowed.
• A single visitor may be permitted in the Emergency Department at the discretion of the clinical team. If the patient becomes a person under investigation (PUI) for COVID-19, the visitor’s information will be taken and they will be instructed to leave.

In these cases, visitors will have to submit to a verbal health screening, temperature scan, and other infection control protocols.