New policy allows two visitors per patient at Maui Memorial

Maui Memorial Medical Center will now allow two visitors per patient, per day, for a maximum of two hours a day between 12 to 6 p.m. within most patient care areas, Maui Health announced Thursday.

The hospital had previously been allowing patients one visitor only.

All eligible visitors ages 12 and older, regardless of vaccination status, will be allowed entry into the hospital for visitation. Children ages 12 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult.

Masking is still required for all individuals, including visitors, who enter any Maui Health facility.

All visitors will be screened at the hospital entrance for temperature and any signs of symptoms consistent with a virus, Maui Health said. They must also follow guidelines that include:

● Wearing the provided mask at all times while in the facility, including during the visit to the patient’s room.

● Keeping the mask over the nose and mouth and not removing it for any reason, including eating.

● Limiting movement to a direct path to and from the person they are visiting.

● Wearing a badge provided by security at the entrance with the room and bed numbers so that staff can easily validate if they are authorized to be in the facility.

● Avoiding aggressive behavior and violence. Should anyone, including visitors, become verbally or physically abusive in any way, hospital security and/or Maui Police Department will be called and, if warranted, criminal charges will be pursued.

Special circumstances under the visitor policy include:

● Women in labor, who are permitted one designated visitor for their entire stay and may also designate a midwife or doula to be present during labor and through delivery. The midwife or doula will be indicated in the plan of care. Women in labor and their visitors may enter either at the main lobby or the emergency room/Pacific Cancer Institute entrance.

● Pediatric patients, who may have two parents or guardians with them at all times.

● Patients with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Reasonable modifications to the policy will be made to allow for support person visitation to meet patient needs and will be coordinated with the clinical team.

● Procedural/surgical patients, who may have one support person accompany them to Ambulatory Care Services and return to meet the patient when they are ready for discharge. They will exit the building during the procedure and recovery. The patient in the Ambulatory Care Services area may designate family/support persons to receive text notification of their procedure progress.

● Outpatients, who may have one support person accompany them to the treatment area and return to meet the patient when they are ready for discharge. They will exit the building during the treatment.

● Patients who are at the end of their life or have significant changes in condition, who may have no more than two visitors. The unit charge nurse will need to notify security to provide entry for the visitors.

● Behavioral health and emergency department, which may have one visitor. Each request will be evaluated for appropriateness and clinical need.

Some units and/or patients may be closed to visitors at certain times, Maui Health said.