Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Tower Health revises visitor policies
Changes, including at Reading Hospital, effective Friday
Tower Health is updating the visitor policies at Reading Hospital and its other facilities effective Friday because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Under the new policies, a patient’s care team will decide if having a visitor is clinically appropriate, including when the visitor is a family member supporting the patient by providing care. All approved visitors will be screened before entering the facility.
Visitor guidelines will be evaluated as the COVID19 pandemic evolves and are subject to change based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention the state Department of Health.
Effective Friday, no visitors will be allowed except those deemed medically necessary.
Exceptions for adult inpatient units in the hospital include two visitors for end- of- life patients and two visitors for COVID19 positive patients at the end of life. Visitors for other COVID- 19 patients are permitted only by exception based on clinical judgment.
One designated support person or guardian is permitted to stay with patients with disabilities, including those with a suspected or positive case of COVID- 19, during visiting hours. One visitor may remain overnight if the hospital can accommodate them.
Parents and guardians of pediatric and neonatal intensive care unit patients are permitted. Identified times for NICU visitation may be implemented. The number of parents visiting the NICU at the same time may be limited based on the number of patients and capacity to ensure proper social distancing.
In maternity units, one designated support person is permitted. Doulas are permitted and are considered part of the care team.
One visitor per patient is permitted in the emergency department and psychiatric emergency department only if the patient is under 18, has a disability or the visitor is
the patient’s communicator and in specific cases of interpreter need.
At Reading Hospital Rehabilitation at Wyomissing, no visitors will be permitted except those deemed medically necessary. No children under the age of 18 or pets will be permitted.
Patients who do not have a suspected or confirmed COVID- 19 case may receive religious services from clergy of their choice at any reasonable time if it can be provided without disruption to care.
In surgical and outpatient procedure departments, one support person may accompany the patient for outpatient and same- day surgery or procedure.
Guidelines for waiting, notification postprocedure and discharge will be communicated to the patient during preop/ pre- procedure education as they are specific to each hospital and department.
If the patient is admitted after surgery, the support person will be permitted to visit for a short period of time while the patient is in recovery.
One designated support person is permitted in physician practices, urgent care practices and ambulatory surgery locations. The support person is not permitted to switch with another person during the visit. Support people must remain in the waiting area unless the patient is under 18, has a disability or the visitor is the patient’s communicator and in specific cases of interpreter need.
Tower Health includes Pottstown Hospital, Pottstown; Brandywine Hospital, Coatesville; Phoenixville Hospital, Phoenixville; Jennersville Regional Hospital, West Grove; and Chestnut Hill Hospital, Philadelphia.
Addit ional Tower Health COVID- 19 information is available at towerhealth. org/ COVID19.