CULLMAN, Ala. — Cullman Regional Medical Center announced Friday that in order to comply with Governor Kay Ivey’s amended Safer at Home Order regarding hospital visitation, the hospital has developed a COVID/Pandemic Visitation Policy, effective Friday, Oct. 2, 2020 at 8 a.m.
Ivey, as detailed in her press conference Wednesday, Sept. 30, extended the mask mandate within the Safer at Home Order until Nov. 8, 2020 while making modifications to the Hospital Visitation Guidelines. The Safer at Home Order states that hospitals and other health care facilities shall allow each patient or resident to have one caregiver or one visitor at a time during their stay, dependent on reasonable restrictions imposed through hospital visitation policies that follow CMS’ Phase II Guidelines and factors as outlined in this memo.
The new order further requires hospitals and other health care facilities to post signage in a conspicuous location at each entrance that reads the same or substantially similar to the following:
“By order of the Governor of Alabama and the State Health Officer, each patient or resident of this facility enjoys certain rights to have one caregiver or one visitor present at a time, with reasonable restrictions. If you have questions, you may ask to inspect the facility’s written policies concerning visitation.”
“We have consistently made accommodations to allow caregivers to stay with patients throughout this pandemic when appropriate,” Cullman Regional CNO Charna Brown, RN said. “We have developed a specific COVID/Pandemic Visitation Policy in order to help make these accommodations more clear to patients and their family members.”
Highlights of the policy include:
The welfare of the patient will be considered above all else.
General visitation hours for the hospital are 8 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. Below are general visitation guidelines for the hospital during the COVID pandemic. When applicable, the policies and procedures of the individual patient care units will provide further details to specific visitation guidelines.
According to the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) acceptable visitors include parents of minors, clergy, family members or primary caregivers of the following: young adult patients, elderly who may need support, terminally-ill patients and individuals with disabilities.
Patients may be allowed one caregiver/visitor at a time.
Visitors must be over the age of 16.
Clergy will be permitted upon patient request.
COVID positive patients will not be allowed to have visitors with minimal exceptions, including:
- End of life
- Caregiver has previously had COVID and recovered. Caregiver may be asked to provide evidence of a previous positive COVID illness.
- Special circumstances and situations will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Visitation Guidelines:
Per CDC recommendations, all visitors and patients should wear cloth face coverings for the duration of the visit. If a visitor or a patient arrives at the facility without a cloth face covering, a facemask will be provided for source control if supplies are available. Cloth face coverings should not be placed on anyone who has trouble breathing, or is unconscious, incapacitated or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
All visitors will be screened at the main entrance to the hospital facility for risk of COVID infection prior to entering the facility. Anyone exhibiting symptoms will not be allowed entry into the facility.
Visitors are asked to limit movement throughout the facility.
All visitors must check-in at the hospital main entrance and logged onto our visitor list which will include name, patient visiting, room visiting, contact information of visitor and other information determined necessary.
Cullman Regional asks for the community’s patience as there will be times when such a visit will not be possible due to the danger it poses to the patient, to the caregiver or to other patients. If a visitor, patient or caregiver has any question regarding this policy, they are asked to contact the Cullman Regional House Supervisor by calling 256-737-2000.
For more information, visit www.CullmanRegional.com.
