Lee Health updates visitation restrictions due to rising COVID-19 cases

In an effort to protect the safety of patients and team members from the recent surge of COVID-19 cases in our community, Lee Health has reinstated its visitation restrictions, the hospital system said.

Effective Thursday, Aug. 12, visitation at Lee Health’s adult acute care hospital campuses will be limited to one person at a time per patient, except in cases of compassionate care. Patients do not need to specify or limit who visits; the new guideline is that they can only have one visitor at a time in their room.

At Golisano Children’s Hospital, patients will be allowed two designated visitors (over 12 years of age) noted upon admission who can be with the patient, in their room, at all times.

Several days ago, due to the current COVID-19 surge, Lee Health implemented other visitation restrictions, which are still in place. They include:

• Visitation in the emergency departments is restricted. Visitors are only granted access in the emergency departments at the adult acute care hospitals for compassionate care or if they are needed to gather information related to providing care (and thus allowed in the emergency department at the discretion of our staff). At Golisano’s emergency department, visitation is limited to two people.
• At Lee Convenient Care, visitors are only granted access to the clinics if they are needed to gather information related to providing care, or in the event of a special circumstance, which would be at the discretion of the clinic staff.
• For adult ambulatory surgical patients, one visitor is allowed to accompany the patient for any appointment registration process. This one visitor may stay with the patient during pre-op and is allowed to wait in the facility waiting area during the procedure. For pediatric patients, one parent or guardian may stay with their child, plus one guest over 12 years-old.
• Contact the Skilled Nursing Units at Gulf Coast Medical Center, Lee Memorial Hospital and HealthPark Care and Rehabilitation Hospital for visitation policies at the facilities.

All visitors must be over 12 years-old and should practice social distancing. Visitors will be required to complete a screening process and sanitize their hands with alcohol-based gel before visitation. All visitors are required to provide their own mask and wear it at all times. Visitors who violate this policy may be asked to leave the facility. Ventilated masks are not allowed as they let expelled breath into the air. Visitors are required to wear masks in patient rooms, and should put their mask back on if someone else enters room while they are eating and/or drinking. Visitors are not allowed to eat in the cafeteria.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Lee Health continues to collaborate with and follow the guidance of local, state and government officials. Visitation plans are developed in consideration of patient, staff and public safety but also to meet the emotional and care needs of patients.

General hospital visitation hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.