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Visitor Information

Patient and Family Resources
Patient and Family Resources

Limited Visitor Policy

Erlanger is currently under a limited visitor policy as detailed below. Visitation policies for each unit or clinic can change daily and are at the discretion of hospital and medical department leadership based on patient/visitor needs, patient status, activity in the unit/clinic, and visitor behavior. Please follow the guidance of the care team.

  • If You Are Ill - Visitors will not be allowed if they have symptoms of respiratory infection (fever, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath).
  • Minors - Children under age 14 are not allowed except under extraordinary circumstances. Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital will not allow children under age 12.

Entering the Hospital

  • Baroness Hospital: Enter from the main parking garage Main Entrance that leads to the gift shop. Entrance is open 5AM - 9PM. Please use Emergency Department entrance for after-hours access.
  • Children’s Hospital: Enter through the Children’s Hospital parking garage entrance (opposite from Main Hospital Entrance).
  • Visitors who enter through the Emergency Department to visit an inpatient will be directed outside to these entry points.

Check-in and Badging

Visitors to Erlanger Baroness Hospital and Children’s Hospital must check in at the Information Desk and receive a photo Visitor Badge.

  • Persons aged 18 and above must show a valid form of photo identification.
  • Badge must be worn and visible at all times during your visit and cannot be shared.
  • A new badge is required for each day of your visit. Visitor badges have a color identifier that changes daily.
  • Approved overnight visitors will receive an Overnight Badge with room number. Overnight visitors require house supervisor approval
  • Visitor badges are not required for Medical Mall doctor visits or procedures.

Current Visiting Hours and Limitations

Inpatient Visiting Hours for adult and children's floors are 9AM – 9PM. Limited visitation policies for specific care areas including hours and number visitors/caregivers allowed are detailed below:

COVID-19 Patient Visitation

Baroness, East, North, and Bledsoe Hospitals

Patients with Pending or Positive Test

  • No visitors

Patients on 6th day of Admission

  • Visitation Hours: 9AM – Noon, 5PM – 8PM
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 1 visitor per visitation time.
  • Special Instructions: Visitor cannot swap with another during the same visitation block. Visitors must wear appropriate PPE including hospital issued N-95 mask, eye protection and gown.

Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital

  • Visitation Hours: 9AM – Noon, 5PM – 8PM
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 2 visitors per day; visitors not allowed to return the same day after they leave.
    Visitation limited to 15 minutes on days 1-5 of admission. On the 6th day of admission, visitation time not restricted if patient is fever free without medications and showing signs of improvement.
  • Special Instructions: Visitors must wear appropriate PPE, including an N95 respirator, in a patient room. Visitors will be counseled about the risks of an in-person visit. Prior to entrance, the facility’s COVID-19 Release and Waiver must be provided, understood and agreed to by evidence of signature by the visitor. Visitation limited to 15 minutes on days 1-5 of admission. On the 6th day of admission, visitation time is not restricted if patient is fever free without medications and showing signs of improvement.

Emergency Department Visitation

Baroness, East, Sequatchie Valley, and Bledsoe

  • Number of visitors allowed: Before being placed in room, 1 visitor per patient; 2 visitors per patient in room after evaluation, placement in room and approval by ER doctor.
  • Special Instructions: Visitors can switch with another person. Emergency Management has discretion to have visitors leave patients’ rooms or waiting room. Exceptions must be approved by Emergency Management.

Children's Hospital at Erlanger

  • Number of visitors allowed: Before being placed in room, 2 visitors/caregivers per patient; 2 visitors/caregivers per patient in room after evaluation, placement in room and approval by ER doctor.
  • Special Instructions: Visitors can switch with another person. Emergency Management has discretion to have visitors leave patients’ rooms or waiting room. Exceptions must be approved by Emergency Management.

Western Carolina

  • Number of visitors allowed: For inpatients holding in the ED (non-Covid), 2 visitors at bedside; can swap out with another visitor. 1 visitor per patient may stay overnight.
  • Special Instructions: Overnight visitors must arrive before 9PM and remain in the patient’s room until 7AM. Visitors who leave after 9PM will not be allowed re-entry until morning. Exceptions for end-of-life circumstances with management approval.

Intensive Care (ICU, NICU, PICU) Visitation

Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – Baroness, East and Children’s

  • Visitation Hours: 9AM – Noon, 5PM – 8PM
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 2 visitors per visitation period
  • Special Instructions: Once a visitor leaves the unit they will not be allowed re-entry until the next visitation time. Visitors cannot swap out during visitation times. End-of-Life patients may have up to 4 visitors who can swap out.

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)

  • Visitation Hours: 9AM-9PM; Parents/Guardians welcome at the bedside 24/7; Unit is closed from 6:30AM-7:30AM and 6:30PM-7:30PM for shift change. No one is allowed to enter during this time; Parents/guardians are welcome to stay at the bedside during this time.
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: No more than 3 visitors at the bedside at a time. This includes the parents/guardians; Healthy siblings 13 years old and above are allowed to visit; Siblings 12 years old and younger will need to be approved on a case-by-case basis. Visitors under the age of 18 must be accompanied by parent/guardian. Visitors under the age of 18 may not stay overnight unless they are parent/guardian of a patient.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – East and Children’s Hospitals

  • Visitation Hours: Visitation is permitted throughout the day and night except during 1) shift change (6:30AM-7:30AM and 6:30PM-7:30PM) and 2) sometimes during admissions and procedures.
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: Parents, plus 2 additional designated visitors (maximum of four people) are allowed to visit throughout the duration of your baby's stay. No other visitors other than these 2 individuals and the parents will be allowed to visit throughout the baby's stay in the NICU. Only 2 individuals may be at your baby's bedside at one time. In order to prevent the spread of common childhood sicknesses no one under the age of 16 will be allowed to visit

Adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) - Western Carolina Hospital

  • Visitation Hours: 1PM – 5PM
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 2 visitors at bedside; 1 visitor per patient may stay overnight
  • Special Instructions: Once a visitor leaves the unit, they will not be allowed re-entry until the next visitation time. Visitors cannot swap out during visitation times. End-of-Life patients may have up to 4 visitors who can swap out.

End-of-Life Patients - Western Carolina Hospital

  • Number of Visitors Allowed: Determined on a case-by-case basis

Labor and Delivery / Mother-Baby Visitation

Maternity/Labor & Delivery Visitation - East and Baroness

  • Visitation Hours: During labor
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 2 visitors at the bedside.
  • Special Instructions: Visitors can switch out in lobby area. Certified Doulas are part of the care team and do not count as visitors.

Mother-Baby Unit – East and Baroness

  • Visitation Hours: 4PM - 9PM for children 14 and under
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 4 visitors at the bedside. This can include children over age 14.
  • Special Instructions: Visitors can switch out in the lobby area. 1 support person is allowed to stay overnight. This does not include children 14 and under.

Outpatient Visitation

Hospital-based Clinic, Laboratory, or Radiology

  • Visitor must have prior approval from the practice.

Children’s Hospital and Kennedy Outpatient Center

  • Number of Visitors/Caregivers Allowed: 2

Pediatric Sleep Center at Kennedy Outpatient Center

  • Number of Visitors/Caregivers Allowed: 1 Visitor/Caregiver accompanies for overnight stay.

Erlanger Western Carolina Hospital

  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 1 companion may accompany the patient to the facility; Must wait in designated area and maintain social distancing. At Clinic locations, 1 companion allowed with patients needing assistance.

 

Surgery Visitation

Adult Outpatient Surgery

  • Number of visitors allowed: 1 visitor

Adult Inpatient Surgery

  • Number of visitors allowed: 1 visitor until procedure completion, then inpatient rules apply

Catheter Procedures

  • Number of visitors allowed: 1 visitor

Children’s Hospital Outpatient Surgery

  • Number of visitors allowed: 2 caregivers

Western Carolina Surgery

  • Number of visitors allowed: 2 visitors for outpatient surgery; Inpatient surgery patients follow inpatient visitor guidelines.

Western Carolina Medical Surgical Unit

  • Visitation Hours: 9AM – 9PM
  • Number of Visitors Allowed: 2 visitors at bedside and can swap out with another visitor, 1 visitor per patient may be allowed to stay overnight
  • Special Instructions: Overnight visitors must arrive before 9PM and remain in patient’s room until 7AM. Visitors who leave after 9PM will not be allowed re-entry until morning. Exceptions for end-of-life circumstances with approval from management.