Consistent with our patient centered approach, Charlotte Hungerford Hospital recognizes that patients need a connection to home, family, and loved ones. All patients and visitors of patients will enjoy equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences and subject to justified clinical restrictions.
All visitors are requested to stop at the Information Desk location in the Main Lobby to obtain patient location information and obtain a visitor pass. All visitors arriving on-site once the Information Desk in the Main Lobby is closed must use the “Night” entrance via the Emergency Department.
Charlotte Hungerford Hospital may impose justified clinical restrictions on a patient’s visitation rights. A justified clinical restriction may include:
- A court order limiting or restraining contact
- Behavior presenting a direct risk or threat to the patient, Hospital staff, or others in the immediate environment
- Behavior disruptive of the functioning of the patient care unit
- Reasonable limitations on the number of visitors at any one time
- Patient’s risk of infection by the visitor
- Visitor’s risk of infection by the patient
- Extraordinary precautions because of a pandemic or infectious disease outbreak
- Substance abuse treatment protocols requiring restricted visitation
- Patient’s need for privacy or rest
- Need for privacy or rest by another individual in the patient’s shared room
When patient is undergoing a clinical intervention or procedure and the treating health care professional believes it is in the patient’s best interests to limit visitation during the clinical intervention or procedure. Visiting Guidelines are listed below. For exceptional circumstances, special arrangements may be made with the nursing staff.
Emergency Department
- 24 hours per day and limited to 2 visitors per patient.
Emergency Department – Acute Behavioral Unit (ABU)
- At the discretion of the ABU and nursing staff.
- No more than 1 visitor per patient is allowed. Children under the age of 18 may be allowed 2 parent/guardian visitors.
General Medical/Surgical Units
Visitors are welcome at the patient’s discretion.
Labor and Delivery
Laboring Patients
Two designated support persons present throughout labor. Only 1 support person may accompany the patient to the operating room.
Doulas and certified interpreters are considered members of the care team and are not counted towards the two-support person limit.
Postpartum Patients
Visitors are welcome at the patient’s discretion.
During time of increased viral illness, visitation by children under the age of 16 may be restricted to help protect both parent and newborn.
Antepartum and Medical/Surgical Patients
Visitors are welcome at the patient’s discretion.
Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM (weekends and holidays only)
6:30 PM – 7:30 PM (daily)
- Visitors must stop at the Information desk in the Main Lobby and call the unit to announce arrival.
Intensive and Care Unit (ICU)
- Visitors must call for permission to visit prior to entering the ICU using the telephone provided outside of the doorway.
- Visits by children under age 14 must be arranged with the nursing staff and at the discretion of the nursing staff or physician.
- Visitors are not permitted to sleep in the patient’s room.
- Visitors are requested to use the visitor’s lounge adjacent to the ICU while waiting for permission to visit.
Medical Ambulatory / Surgical Ambulatory Units
- Visitors are allowed to stay with patients prior to and upon return from procedures.
PACU
- Visitors are not allowed in the PACU with the exception of one direct support person.
Per Hartford HealthCare policy, plants, potpourri, or flowers (live or dried) are prohibited in high-risk areas which care for immunocompromised patients. These areas include, but are not limited to:
- ICU
- Telemetry
- Inpatient Oncology Units
- Pulmonary and Cardiac Rehab
- OR and PACU areas
- Outpatient Cancer Center
- Ambulatory Infusion Center
- Radiation Oncology Department