St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon announces changes in visitor rules. Here are details

HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon will now allow one visitor for patients, with some exceptions, effective Thursday, Sept. 23.

The hospital had not allowed visitors since Aug. 19 due to rising COVID-19 infections in the area. However, the metro-east — including St. Clair County — has shown encouraging trends recently, including decreasing positivity rates and rising ICU bed availability.

“We are continuously re-evaluating our visitor guidelines to address both safety of patients and staff while balancing the emotional needs for patients and their family to be able to connect,” St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Regina Peterson said. “We understand these ongoing restrictions, while loosened a bit, are still extremely difficult for those with loved ones in our facility.”

Visitor guidelines at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital are as follows, with some noted exceptions listed below:

• No visitors allowed for patients under investigation for possible COVID-19 diagnosis and those confirmed positive for COVID-19.
• No visitors under 18 years old
• No one who is currently positive for COVID-19 but asymptomatic or has been asked to quarantine based on possible exposure to COVID-19 should visit the hospital unless seeking medical attention.

Emergency department/UrgiCare

• Adult emergency patients are allowed one visitor. Please note: The visitor must remain in the vehicle until the patient is placed in an exam room. Staff will call the visitor when they can come in. The visitor must remain in the patient’s room for the duration of the visit.
• Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disability or cognitive impairments may have one support person.
• Pediatric emergency patients under the age of 18 may have two parents or guardians present.

Inpatient Units

• Adult inpatients are allowed one visitor (same person per day) who must stay in the patient’s room for duration of visit.
• End-of-life inpatients are allowed two visitors at a time.

Additional visitor allowances

• Obstetrics patients are allowed two support persons during delivery and one (same person) throughout the rest of the stay.
• Inpatient and outpatient surgery patients are allowed one visitor to stay in the identified area for the duration of the surgical procedure.

Outpatient diagnostic and therapy services

One approved adult support person may be with the patient for the duration of their procedure or clinical visit.

• Patients being provided outpatient services are encouraged to come alone whenever possible or have visitors wait outside until services are complete. All public waiting rooms are currently closed.
• Pediatric outpatients under the age of 18 are allowed two parents or guardians who must stay in the patient’s room for the duration of the visit.
• Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disability or cognitive impairments may have one support person.

Approved support persons must be over the age of 18 and will continue to be screened upon entering the facility at the outpatient entrance (except for emergency visitors) for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. Masks are mandatory for all persons within a health care facility, per CDC guidelines.

Family members and loved ones should provide nursing staff with their contact information and may call 618-234-2120 to check on their loved ones.