UH and Cleveland Clinic are adjusting hospital visitation policies as COVID-19 cases spike

University Hospitals and the Cleveland Clinic modified their respective visitation policies effective Tuesday, but the hospitals went in opposite directions.

UH was allowing one designated visitor per day, but will now only allow one designated visitor per stay in most situations.

UH made the change because the hospital system is at 95-105 percent capacity across its 23 hospitals, said Dr. Daniel Simon, president of academic and external affairs.  

"This is the worst time in the pandemic for the hospital," he said. "Right now, the highest inpatient numbers throughout the two years of the pandemic is now."

Cuyahoga County's highest peak was in December 2020, but recent COVID-19 case numbers in the county have continued to rise since mid-October this year. 

Predictive analytics show that case numbers will continue to rise and won't hit a peak until later in the month, Simon said. 

"The concern is just that the more people visiting, the more opportunity there is for transmission," he said. 

This chart explains University Hospitals' new visitation policy starting Dec. 7, 2021. [University Hospitals]

While UH is restricting visitors to prevent COVID-19 spread, the Cleveland Clinic also changed its visitation policy -- allowing more flexibility.

The Clinic will allow one visitor per day in most situations starting Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021.

"We feel that visiting with loved ones is important to our patients, especially during the holiday season," Cleveland Clinic officials said in a statement released Monday. "For the past several months, we have permitted only one visitor per stay, while a patient was in the hospital. While we continue to manage high numbers of patients in our facilities, we have protocols in place that allow more individuals to visit, while still protecting our patients and caregivers."

The two hospitals did not comment on the choice to go in opposite directions.

University Hospitals will be able to care for patients through the rising case numbers, Dr. Simon said. 

"We have a bed capacity of our core hospitals, not including the addition of Lake and our joint venture with Western Reserve, we have about 1,700 beds, which could flex up to 5,100, so we have a surge plan in place to be able to care for more patients," he said. 

MetroHealth is not changing its visitation policy, which allows for two visitors per day.

Visitors at all three hospitals must wear a mask while in the building.