BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — ECMC announced updated inpatient and critical care patient visitation guidelines Wednesday based on NYSDOH guidance. You can find the updated policy below, it is effective Thursday, June 3.
Inpatient Visitation
1. Two designated inpatient visitors per day are permitted. The patient or their legal representative will determine the designated essential support persons who can visit the hospital.
2. No Visitation Permitted for COVID-19 Inpatients, COVID-19 Patients Under Investigation (“PUI”) or patients in quarantine with compassionate exceptions for end-of-life.
3. Visiting hours are from 1:00pm – 7:00pm.
4. If you cannot visit or outside of visitation hours, you can contact your loved one over the phone or through a scheduled video call. The patient’s care team can help set up the video call.
5. All visitors are required to comply with our screening checkpoint procedures. If you cannot comply with the screening measures, you cannot have an in-person visit in the hospital.
Critical Care Units
1. Two designated inpatient visitors per day are permitted for the duration of a patient’s stay. The patient or their legal representative will determine the designated essential support person who can visit the hospital.
2. COVID-19 patient visitation remains prohibited for the safety of our patients and caregivers, with compassionate exceptions for end of life.
3. Visiting hours are from 12:00pm – 2:00pm, 5:00pm – 6:00pm and 8:00pm – 9:00pm.
4. If you are not able to visit, you can contact your loved one over the phone or through a scheduled video call. The patient’s care team can help set up the video call.
5. All visitors are required to comply with our screening checkpoint procedures. If you cannot comply with the screening measures, you cannot have an in-person visit in the hospital. All visitors are required to wear at mask at all times and remain in the patients room during visitation. In an effort to protect our patients, families, visitors and staff against the spread of infection, and in accordance with New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) guidance, ECMC has implemented the following visitation policy at all sites, effective Thursday June 3, 2021. This does not apply to those seeking treatment.
KeyBank Trauma and Emergency Department
1. Two support persons permitted per patient. Two visitors will be able to accompany you in the Emergency Department, and your visitors must remain in the patient’s treatment room for the entire visit.
2. At times we may need to restrict visitation to maintain an appropriate care environment for our patients.
3. All visitors must be screened for COVID-19 symptoms.
4. Each visitor must wear a mask at all times, and ensure social distancing with proper hand hygiene.
5. If your loved one is admitted to the hospital, you may accompany them to their room during inpatient visiting hours. If they are admitted outside of visiting hours, you must return during visiting hours.
6. Pediatric patients may have both parents as essential support persons.
Behavioral Health & Acute Substance Abuse Unit
All visits are by appointment only.
Surgery and Procedure Areas
1. For elective cases, information will be provided to the patient on limitation to one (1) essential person to accompany them through the initial hospital intake process. That essential person can rejoin the patient at the time of discharge. Upon check-in, the patient will be asked to provide their essential support person’s contact info.
2. If a patient has a surgery that requires admission outside of visitation hours, the essential person will be welcomed to return during visitation hours.
Outpatient Clinics and Services
1. If a Support Person is needed for a patient they can assist with check-in and provide a phone number to be called when patient is discharged.
2. If deemed medically necessary, one (1) support person may accompany the patient for the entire clinic visit.
Terrace View Long-Term Care Facility
1. Outdoor Visitation- permitted for any resident not on quarantine or isolation. (Preferred even when resident and visitor are fully vaccinated and weather permits)
2. Compassionate care visits – permitted at all times.
3. Indoor Visitation – allowed at all times for all residents except for these exceptions: · Unvaccinated residents, if the nursing home’s COVID-19 county positivity rate is >10% and <70% of residents in the facility are fully vaccinated;
· Residents with confirmed COVID-19 infection, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated until they have met the criteria to discontinue Transmission-Based Precautions; or
· Residents in quarantine, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, until they have met criteria for release from quarantine.
Please note, outdoor visitation is NOT suspended if an outbreak occurs within Terrace View
Visitation will occur:
Monday through Friday 10:00am, 11:00am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm
Tuesday and Wednesday 6:30pm
Saturday and Sunday 10:00am & 11:00am
Please call 716-551-7217 to schedule your visit.
4. Visitors will no longer require a COVID-19 swab result.
5. Visits will take place in the lobby or outside, weather dependent.
6. In-room visits will be allowed for certain residents based on medical condition. In-room visits will follow the same schedule as the lobby visits.
7. Visitors will have to go through the screening process upon arrival and be required to wear a mask throughout their visit.
8. Compassionate care and end-of-life visits should contact the nursing unit or the social worker directly.
9. Visitors can have close contact with their loved one if the resident has been vaccinated, completes proper hand hygiene, and the visitor maintains mask wear throughout the visit.
General Visitation Guidelines:
• Please do not visit if you are ill.
• All visitors must be 18 years of age or older.
• Visitors will be provided with a face mask upon entry to the facility and must wear the mask at all times while inside the facility.
- Masks should only be removed to eat or drink.
- If a visitor refuses to wear a mask, they will be asked to leave the facility.
- Visitors should maintain recommended social distancing and regularly perform hand hygiene.
• Visitors should self-screen for contagious diseases before arriving at ECMC and before accessing patient care areas.
• If you have been in contact with someone with COVID-19 or have had symptoms of COVID-19 within the past 14 days, please do
not visit the hospital.
• All visitors are required to comply with our screening checkpoint procedures. If you are unable to comply, you will not be permitted
an in-person visit in the hospital.
• Visitors will be asked screening questions and have their temperature taken upon arrival.
• Visitors must stay in the patient’s room, or designated area identified by staff, unless directed by staff to leave the room.
