Northeast Ohio Hospitals Limiting Visitation To Prevent Coronavirus Spread

Updated: 1:04 p.m., Friday, March 13, 2020.

Local healthcare providers are limiting visitors to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Northeast Ohio hospitals and healthcare providers announced new visitation and other policies this week.

Summa Health

Summa Health will not allow any visitors experiencing flu-like or cold symptoms in its facilities, according to a Thursday press release. Only two visitors or caregivers will be permitted to accompany each patient, the release said, and Summa Health is encouraging visitors to stay in the patient’s room. All visitors must be at least 12 years old.

Summa Health will also offer free virtual e-visits to screen for coronavirus, as well as other respiratory illnesses. They will not include testing for COVID-19, which must be completed in person.

MetroHealth System

MetroHealth will allow two visitors per patient, according to a press release. Pediatric and neonatal units will be restricted to parents or specific “support people” depending on the case. Only partners and grandparents will be permitted for obstetric patients.

All visitors will be prohibited in adult patient areas of the Emergency Department, the release said. One visitor will be permitted for patients requiring assistance and one parent or caregiver will be permitted per pediatric patient.

Visitors will be prohibited from all MetroHealth nursing home and rehabilitation areas, the release said, unless the patient has “a deteriorating clinical status.” Visitors may be permitted after they are screened, according to the release.

For appointments at physician’s practices or other outpatient sites, MetroHealth prefers patients come alone, but will allow one companion as needed.

All visitors must be at least 14 years old and all will be screened prior to entry, according to the release. Anyone showing any signs of respiratory illness will not be permitted to enter the facility.

University Hospitals

University Hospitals is also imposing visitor restrictions this week.

UH facilities will not allow anyone with an active upper-respiratory infection or flu-like symptoms to visit, according to a press release, nor anyone who has traveled to any CDC Level 2 or 3 travel-restricted countries or been on a cruise within the last 14 days.

No visitors will be allowed for any confirmed COVID-19 patients.

General medical floors and ambulatory sites will not have additional restrictions, according to the release.

Maternity inpatients will be limited to the same two adult visitors throughout the entire hospital stay, the release said.

Additional restrictions will be imposed for UH Seidman Cancer Center patients, the release said, including only one additional person permitted at each appointment. UH recommends that visitor be at least 18 years old.

All visitors for Seidman inpatients will be screened for flu-like symptoms. Bone marrow transplant inpatients will be limited to one adult visitor during the day and no overnight visitors are permitted.

Cleveland Clinic

The Cleveland Clinic is restricting visitors and vendors in its hospitals and facilities to limit the spread of coronavirus. The clinic will not allow visitors who have traveled internationally to high-risk areas, or anyone experiencing the symptoms of a respiratory illness.

The hospital will also limit visitors to two per patient, Chief of Medical Operations Robert Wyllie said in a Thursday press conference. Visitors must be 16 or older and permitted from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“It’s a way to protect the people in the hospital once COVID-19 is in the community,” Wyllie said.

Exceptions will be made for patients near the end of life, Wyllie said.

Outpatients will be asked to put off elective surgeries, Wyllie said. People feeling ill should call ahead to schedule an appointment rather than sitting in a waiting room, he said.

The Cleveland Clinic also will limit the number of entrances and exits in use and restrict the number of vendors coming into facilities.