Franciscan Health updates visitor restrictions

With cases of COVID-19 growing in recent weeks, Franciscan Health is taking steps to limit potential spread of the virus with new visitor restrictions at its hospital in Olympia Fields.

“We’re modifying our visitor restrictions for safety purposes and to do our part as a healthcare provider in reducing the spread of the virus. We appreciate the community’s support and understanding of our efforts to create the safest possible environment for our patients, employees, and physicians,” said Allan Spooner, President and CEO of Franciscan Health Olympia Fields. “Our Leadership Team will continue to review the virus trends on a daily basis and adjust to changing conditions in the safest manner possible.”

Adult visitors will be allowed under specific circumstances. The hospital will continue screening all visitors to determine if they are at risk for COVID-19 or other communicable diseases. Those who do not pass screenings will not be permitted to enter the hospital. All visitors will be required to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and practice good hand hygiene.

The visitor restrictions that will take effect on Monday, Oct. 26, are as follows:

• Inpatients: None unless covered under other exception.
• Critical Care Inpatients: None unless covered under other exception.
• Labor & Delivery: A laboring woman will be allowed one visitor, a spouse or partner during labor and delivery. In addition, a labor coach will be allowed.
• NICU: Mother and significant other will be allowed to visit child in NICU with daily screening for temperature and COVID-19 symptoms required. Failure to pass screening will result in a denial of visitation. (In extraordinary and end-of-life situations, the facility may allow an additional 1 - 2 visitors to visit, provided proper social distancing and PPE usage are followed.)
• Emergency Room: None unless covered under other exception.
  • Victims of sexual assault have the right to an advocate, as stated in SEA 146. If requested by the patient, a victim advocate may be present during a medical forensic exam.
• Outpatients/Ambulatory: None unless covered under other exception.
• Surgery: None unless covered under other exception.
• Non-COVID End-of-Life: One visitor will be allowed for the duration. A second visitor will be allowed on a rotating basis with no more than two visitors at a time.
• COVID End-of-Life: One visitor will be allowed to visit. The visitor must wear full PPE while in attendance.
• Minors & Non-Decisional Patients: One visitor will be allowed only for patients that do not have actual or legal decisional capacity. Those include persons under 18, persons with dementia, and persons whose condition precludes obtaining an accurate history or decision making.
• Clergy: The patient or their representative may request a member of the Franciscan Spiritual Care Department or outside (community) clergy to be present. Clergy must wear required PPE while in attendance.

Additional information:

• The hospital’s entrance points of access remain restricted to the Main Entrance for patients and visitors and the Emergency Department Entrance for Emergency Department patients only.
• Every patient and visitor who enters is required to pass a health screening. They will receive and are required to wear a visitor sticker during their time in the hospital.

This is a public health issue, and it is our intent to protect the health and safety of our patients, our visitors and our employees. In doing so, we can reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19, flu and other seasonal-communicable medical issues.

Those with general questions about coronavirus can find resources online, which are updated regularly, including:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov

The Illinois Department of Public Health at www.dph.illinois.gov/covid19

Franciscan Health at www.franciscanhealth.org/covid-19.