OU Medicine Updates Visitation Policy as Response to COVID-19

In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, OU Medicine has updated its visitation policies.

Effective immediately, hospital and clinic patients are limited as to how many visitors may visit or join them at appointments. The new OU Medicine and OU Physicians visitor guidelines for adult care are:

• OU Medical Center and OU Medical Center Edmond are limiting visitors to only one visitor per patient. This visitor will be the only individual allowed in the patient's room for the duration of a patient's stay.
• OU Physicians clinics are limiting the number of individuals who may accompany a patient to an appointment to one visitor per patient.
• Stephenson Cancer Center is limiting the number of individuals who may accompany a patient to an appointment to one visitor per patient.

Due to the special considerations for children's care, The Children's Hospital, OU Children's Physicians have adopted the following:

• The Children's Hospital is limiting the number of visitors for all patients to only two visitors. These two visitors will be the only individuals allowed in the patient's room for the duration of a patient's stay.
• OU Children's Physicians clinics are limiting the number of individuals who may accompany a patient to an appointment to two visitors per patient.
   

In addition:

• All visitors to any and all OU Medicine entities must be over the age of 18. This includes siblings of patients.
• For patients that have confirmed COVID-19, no visitors will be allowed in the room unless the patient is a minor.
• For patients on palliative and hospice care, the physician will work with the family on a case-by-case basis regarding visitation.
• OU Medicine vendor partners will be receiving separate communications regarding limited access within OU Medicine facilities.

Additionally, OU Medicine is requesting that visitors who may be sick or experiencing flu-like symptoms not visit the hospital unless they are seeking medical treatment. Large groups of visitors gathering in waiting rooms, lobbies and other public areas in OU Medicine facilities is discouraged.

"We realize these new restricted guidelines may feel inconvenient, but ultimately, we are here to care for Oklahoma's most ill and injured patients and it is our responsibility to protect them as well as our medical staff from anything that might keep them from getting well," said Chuck Spicer, FACHE, President and CEO of OU Medicine. "We continue to coordinate with other hospitals and clinics across Oklahoma and feel this is in everyone's best interest."

OU Medicine hospitals and OU Children's Physicians will begin checking-in visitors upon arrival to the individual facility. Specific entrances have been designated for patients and visitors to enter.

Check-in entails the following questions:

• Have you traveled outside Oklahoma to a state or country with a high incidence of COVID-19 in the past 14 days?
• Are you currently feeling sick?

John Zubialde, MD, Executive Dean, OU College of Medicine explained that these visitation changes are only temporary. "OU Medicine experts have been proactively planning and preparing for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and taking care of our patients. We hope this current pandemic situation passes quickly, at which time we will return to our previous visitation policy."

For more information on COVID-19, go to oumedicine.com/coronavirus