Franciscan Health Olympia Fields enhances visitor restrictions

With the continued spread of COVID-19, and the surge of new variants, Franciscan Health Olympia Fields is implementing enhanced visitor restrictions, as well as prohbiting the use of all hospital visitor waiting and open areas effective Thursday, December 30, 2021.

Hospital visitors, healthy or otherwise, will not be allowed access to hospital visitor waiting areas. Instead, visitors must now wait outside the hospital until the accompanying patient is admitted to a room or leaves the hospital. One healthy adult visitor, approved under visiting exemptions, accompanying a patient will be required to be screened 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. Only visitors age 18 or older who successfully pass the screening, and qualify for approved visitor exemptions, will be allowed entry. Qualified visitors will be required to wear a mask, practice social distancing, proper hand hygiene.

Exceptions may be considered in the following circumstances where one healthy adult visitor per patient may be allowed:

• Power of Attorney and Guardians
• Emergency Department
• Labor and Delivery and Special Care Nursery (Franciscan Family Birth Center)
• Outpatient Surgery
• Pediatric Patients
• End-of-life situations

Restrictions enacted for the safety of patients and staff include:

• Appropriate and approved visitors will be screened at hospitals entrances. Prospective visitors with a fever of 100.4º F or higher or other symptoms, including cough, sore throat, stuffy/runny nose, chills, nausea or vomiting, will NOT be allowed to enter the hospital.
• Appropriate and approved visitors who pass the health screenings will receive a visitor sticker for the day.
• COVID-19 positive inpatient swill not be allowed visitors, except the parent of a child who is a COVID-19 patient.
• All hospital clinical staff will be screened prior to reporting to their respective units and departments.
• Entry will not be granted for those under age 18.
• Only Emergency Department patients may gain access via the Emergency Department Entrance.

“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,” said Franciscan Health Olympia Fields CEO Allan Spooner. “In doing so, we can reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19, flu and other seasonal-related medical issues.”