Atrium Health further tightens restrictions on its NC hospital visitors amid coronavirus
Atrium Health is further tightening restrictions on visitors at Carolinas Medical Center, Levine Children’s Hospital and its 17 other Charlotte-area hospitals and care centers to prevent spread of COVID-19, which causes the coronavirus.
Starting Thursday, only essential patient visitors will be allowed, including to patients in intensive care or who are at the end of life.
Visits also will be allowed to patients who need a healthcare decision maker or help in communication or mobility, to patients 17 and younger and to women having a baby.
People who want to visit a hospital but have symptoms of a fever or respiratory illness should stay home, officials said.
“Hospitals will use discretion and may screen visitors for signs and symptoms of illness,” according to an Atrium Health statement.
Existing visitor restrictions will remain in place, with only immediate family members 13 and older allowed to visit.
The patient’s care team and attending doctor will work case by case with families who have special circumstances, such as a critically ill or injured family member.
“This is a rapidly evolving situation, and Atrium Health is committed to the health of not just our patients but each community it serves,” Atrium officials said in the statement.
Atrium Health also encourages friends and family to support hospitalized loved ones with phone calls and video chats on cell phones or other mobile devices. Patients have Wi-Fi access.
“Atrium Health has implemented these new measures to ensure we are doing everything we can as a system to keep our patients, their loved ones and our teammates safe during these unprecedented times,” Dr. Jim Hunter, Atrium Health senior vice president and chief medical officer, said in the statement.
This story was originally published March 19, 2020 at 5:00 AM.