Visitor Access Policy

To help reduce the risk of COVID transmission in our facilities, Harris Health is limiting in-person visitation to one healthy visitor in most instances, effective Thursday, July 14, 2022. 
 
Requirements for all locations

All visitors continue to be required to self-screen before entering the facility and must wear a face mask at all times while in the facility. Harris Health continues to provide visitors with a face mask if needed.

Outpatient Clinics Visitation Restrictions

Harris Health allows one healthy visitor per patient in all outpatient clinics and procedural areas.

Hospital Visitation Restrictions

Harris Health allows at least one healthy visitor per day at Ben Taub and Lyndon B. Johnson hospitals for all patients between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., with the following noted exceptions:

1. No visitors under 18 years of age are permitted for COVID+ and PUI patients.
2. Nursing leadership may grant exceptions for visitors to stay with patients beyond visiting hours and/or for patients who are laboring or at end-of-life to have up to two (2) visitors at any one time or multiple visitors a day (one visitor at a time).
3. Visitors who are religious counselors or support persons for disabled patients will not be restricted.
4. For patients in droplet or airborne isolation, including for COVID+ and PUI patients:

• Visitors may be required to wear additional personal protective equipment (PPE), as specified by the clinical staff on the unit.
• The patient’s attending physician may restrict in-person visitation for a particular patient (i.e., not allow any in-person visitors) if the attending physician determines that in-person visitation with the patient may lead to the transmission of an infectious agent that poses a serious community health risk. Such a determination is valid for not more than five (5) days unless the determination is renewed by a treating physician. This must be documented in the patient’s medical record – please use a note and inform nursing leadership on the unit. 

If in-person visitation is restricted as described above, then Harris Health must provide daily written or oral updates on the patient’s condition and notify the visitor of the estimated date and time of the patient's discharge, provided that the visitor:

• Is authorized to by the patient to receive relevant protected health information regarding the patient.
• Has authority to receive protected health information pursuant to an Advance Directive or Medical Power of Attorney (See Harris Health policy 4128, Advance Directives for more information regarding Advance Directives and Medical Power of Attorney), or
• Qualifies as the patient’s Surrogate Decision Maker pursuant to Harris Health policy 4215, Consent to Medical Treatment and Identification of a Surrogate Decision Maker.

Updates to Family and Friends

Harris Health is committed to providing authorized friends and family updates on their respective patient’s status. Please inform authorized family members and friends that they may contact the hospital between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., seven (7) days a week, to reach the clinical team caring for their loved one.
 
If you feel that an exception to the visitor restrictions listed above is needed, please escalate to your facility’s executive leadership (i.e., Pavilion EVP/Administrator, Chief of Staff, Chief Nursing Officer or other designee).

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