Patient and Visitor Screening Policy


Updated November 18, 2020

At Hoag, we take our role as your health care provider to heart, and appreciate you trusting us with your health care needs.

Face Mask or Cloth Covering

Anyone entering a health care facility (e.g., health care personnel, patients, visitors) is required to wear a face mask or cloth covering at all times. Examples of a cloth covering include scarf, bandana, homemade mask, etc. Cloth coverings must cover mouth and nose. Please do not wear a mask with exhalation valves. If a visitor or patient arrives to the health care facility without a cloth face covering, a face mask may be supplied.

Updated Visitor Policy

Our patient care philosophy is deeply rooted in our belief that engaging patients and their families is an important part of the healing process. With that in mind, and in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, we are instituting new visitor policies until further notice, in the interest of the continued health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff.

Please be aware that visitor must limit access to only necessary areas of the hospital or health care facility i.e. patient rooms, designated waiting areas, etc. Hospital visitors are not allowed to enter the Café or Cafeterias. If patient condition permits, visitors may bring food into the hospital and eat it in the patient’s room or outdoors.

Hospital visitors are not permitted except in limited circumstances:

  • Patients who may be facing end of life – We will work with families to ensure that they are able to be with their family member.
  • Maternity Patients – For new mothers laboring and delivering, they will be allowed one significant other to be with them throughout their stay (must be the same person for the duration of the patient’s stay). Support person is allowed to stay overnight. Patients in labor may also choose to use a doula. Prior arrangements for doula to be present must be made with the hospital and doula must comply with PPE and Infection Prevention guidelines. Patients who choose to use a doula will still be allowed one support person.
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Patients – Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will be allowed two designated support persons to visit at the same time (must be the same two support persons for the duration of the patient’s stay).
  • Acute Rehabilitation Patients – Patients admitted to the Fudge Family Acute Rehabilitation Center may have one support person for scheduled family training throughout their stay. Additional family support, outside of family training, may be needed and will be determined on a case by case basis.
  • Minors – Minors will be permitted to have one support person present. No other children are allowed to enter unless they are also patients.
  • Visitors are not permitted to spend the night except in certain cases, including those noted above, where it may be necessary for the patient or with end of life circumstances.
  • Pet visits are restricted unless it is a service animal or visiting an End of Life patient.

Visitor Policy for Hoag Health Center and Hoag Urgent Care Facilities

Hoag is currently enforcing a Limited Visitor Policy at Hoag Health Center and Hoag Urgent Care facilities. There are only a few exceptions:

  • Minors – Minors will be permitted to have two support persons present. No other children are allowed to enter unless they are also patients.

Please note that patients who arrive with their children who are not patients will be asked to reschedule their appointment for another time when child care arrangements can be made.

Our care teams will help determine the need for a patient to have a support person based on the above outlined criteria.

Any visitor who meets one of these criteria will be screened at the health facility entrance. Visitors who are ill with the following symptoms will not be permitted to visit patients. Exceptions will be made only for extreme circumstances (i.e. End of Life, Laboring Spouse).

Signs and Symptoms

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Sore throat
  • Body Ache
  • Chills
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Congestion
  • Runny Nose

Approved visitors at hospital campuses will be provided with an armband.

We highly encourage alternative means of communication to provide healing support, such as phone calls, FaceTime, Google Hangouts and Skype.

As additional precautions, flower and food deliveries have been suspended in an effort to limit the number of vendors in the hospital.

The decision to restrict visitors was difficult and made only after careful consideration to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Thank you for your understanding and support as we remain committed to our mission to provide the highest quality health care to the communities we serve.

Patient Screening

All patients will be screened at the hospital entrance and at our health center and urgent care facilities.

We understand that some patients who are ill with symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, body aches, chills or new loss of taste or smell, may need to enter our facilities. Patients are asked to provide this information to the facility upon scheduling their appointment and/or upon arriving to the facility so appropriate arrangements can be made.

Patients who need immediate medical care should continue to go to the nearest Emergency Room for immediate care or call 911.

Anyone entering a health care facility (e.g., health care personnel, patients, visitors) is required to wear a face mask or cloth covering at all times. Examples of a cloth covering include scarf, bandana, homemade mask, etc. Cloth coverings must cover mouth and nose. Please do not wear a mask with exhalation valves.