Visitation policy revised amid COVID-19 surge
By STHS Communication Department
Amid a continued spike of COVID-19 cases in our community and in our hospital, St. Tammany Health System is limiting visitation to one adult caregiver (18 years or older) per patient per day.
The new policy goes into effect Monday, Aug. 3, 2020, and will continue until further notice.
In lieu of in-person visits, STHS leadership encourages patients and families to use technology to stay in touch while in our care.
Additionally, in the interest of safety of visitors and hospital employees, the new visitation policy also requires the following:
- Caregivers must be free of fever and symptoms to enter any STHS facility.
- Caregivers must arrive in and wear a face covering for the entire duration of the visit.
- Caregivers are not permitted on isolation units.
- Caregivers are expected to stay in the patient room or procedure waiting area, masked at all times.
- To reduce traffic in public areas, caregivers are encouraged to order in-room dining (for a small fee) but food also may be purchased in the cafeteria or PJs Coffee Shop, both located on the first floor.
- Caregivers must adhere to all policies including social distancing, mask-wearing and hand-washing.
This caregiver policy may be adjusted for patient safety or compassionate reasons in a clinician’s judgment. As we continue to monitor the presence of COVID-19 in our community and state regulations, this policy is subject to change.