Visitation Begins At BayCare Hospital After 5 Months Of No Guests

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — After almost five months of BayCare not allowing friends and family to visit hospital patients in an attempt to keep everyone safe from the coronavirus, patients can now see their loved ones on a limited visiting schedule, the hospital system said.

BayCare said it's allowing most inpatients to have one visitor a day from 3 to 8 p.m., and visitors must follow the hospital's safety precaution policy.

“We know how important connections to loved ones are for our patients’ recovery and we are delighted to once again safely provide access for that in-person support,” said Glenn Waters, chief operating officer for BayCare, which has 15 hospitals across west central Florida.

Reductions in both COVID-19 hospitalizations and in the community’s decreasing infection rate have made it possible to provide visitor access, Waters said.

“We have learned a lot since March about how the virus spreads, and we have significantly increased protocols to combat it. Now with lower numbers, we can safely welcome visitors on a limited basis,” Waters said.

To ensure the safety of patients, visitors, team members and physicians, BayCare's new policy continues to focus on infection control with the following conditions:

• Only visitors 18 or older, who pass coronavirus screening, will be allowed to visit. All visitors must wear a mask during their entire visit.
• Inpatients will be allowed one visitor per day from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., with some exceptions noted below.
• Extended hours and provisions are allowed for pediatric, neonatal intensive care, labor and delivery, and mothers and newborns.
• No visitors will be allowed for behavioral health or COVID-19 patients.
• Patients arriving for surgeries and procedures will be allowed one visitor during pre-operation and recovery times.
• Emergency Department patients, except for those presenting with respiratory symptoms, will be allowed one visitor once they are placed in their treatment room.
• Special circumstances can be approved by hospital leadership on a case-by-case basis.

These visitation changes are effective at:

Pinellas County

• Bardmoor Emergency Center, Largo
• BayCare Alliant Hospital, Dunedin
• Mease Countryside Hospital, Safety Harbor
• Mease Dunedin Hospital, Dunedin
• Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater
• St. Anthony’s Hospital, St. Petersburg

Hillsborough County

• St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Tampa
• St. Joseph’s Hospital, Tampa
• St. Joseph’s Hospital – North, Lutz
• St. Joseph’s Hospital – South, Riverview
• St. Joseph’s Women’s Hospital, Tampa
• South Florida Baptist Hospital, Plant City

Pasco County

• Morton Plant North Bay, New Port Richey

Polk County

• Bartow Regional Medical Center
• Winter Haven Hospital
• Winter Haven Women’s Hospital