HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Expands Visitor Guidelines To Allow One Visitor Per Patient

O’FALLON – HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in O’Fallon, IL, will now allow one visitor for patients, with some exceptions, effective today, Thursday, September 23, 2021. The hospital had not allowed visitors since August 19.

“We are continuously reevaluating our visitor guidelines to address both safety of patients and staff while balancing the emotional needs for patients and their family to be able to connect,” said St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Chief Nursing Officer Regina Peterson. “We understand these ongoing restrictions, while loosened a bit, are still extremely difficult for those with loved ones in our facility.”

Visitor guidelines at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital are as follows, with some noted exceptions listed below:

• NO VISITORS ALLOWED for patients under investigation for possible COVID-19 diagnosis and those confirmed positive for COVID-19.
• NO VISITORS UNDER 18 YEARS OLD
• No one who is currently positive for COVID-19 but asymptomatic or has been asked to quarantine based on possible exposure to COVID-19 should visit the hospital unless seeking medical attention.

Emergency department/UrgiCare:

• Adult emergency patients - One visitor. Please note: The visitor must remain in the vehicle until the patient is placed in an exam room. Staff will call visitor when they can come in. Visitor must remain in the patient’s room for the duration of the visit.

• Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disability or cognitive impairments may have one support person.
• Pediatric emergency patients under the age of 18 may have two parents or guardians present.

Inpatient Units

• Adult inpatients: One visitor (same person per day) who must stay in the patient’s room for the duration of the visit.
• Inpatient end-of-life: Two visitors at a time.

Obstetrics patients: Two support persons during delivery and one (same person) throughout the rest of the stay.

Surgery (inpatient and outpatient): One visitor to stay in identified area for the duration of the surgical procedure.

Outpatient diagnostic and therapy services: One approved adult support person may be with the patient for the duration of their procedure or clinical visit.

• Patients being provided outpatient services are encouraged to come alone whenever possible or have visitors wait outside until services are complete. All public waiting rooms are currently closed.
• Pediatric outpatients under the age of 18: Two parents or guardians allowed who must stay in the patient’s room for the duration of the visit.
• Patients with intellectual and/or developmental disability or cognitive impairments may have one support person.

Approved support persons must be over the age of 18 and will continue to be screened upon entering the facility at the Outpatient entrance (except for emergency visitors) for COVID-19 symptoms and exposure. Masks are MANDATORY for all persons within a health care facility, per CDC guidelines.

Family members and loved ones should provide nursing staff with their contact information and may call (618) 234-2120 to check on their loved ones.

About Hospital Sisters Health System

Hospital Sisters Health System’s (HSHS) mission is to reveal and embody Christ’s healing love for all people through our high-quality Franciscan health care ministry. HSHS provides state-of-the-art health care to our patients and is dedicated to serving all people, especially the most vulnerable, at each of our physician practices and 15 local hospitals in two states – Illinois (Breese, Decatur, Effingham, Greenville, Highland, Litchfield, O’Fallon, Shelbyville, and Springfield) and Wisconsin (Chippewa Falls, Eau Claire, Oconto Falls, Sheboygan and two in Green Bay). HSHS is sponsored by Hospital Sisters Ministries, and Hospital Sisters of St. Francis is the founding institute. For more information about HSHS, visit www.hshs.org. For more information about Hospital Sisters of St. Francis, visit www.hospitalsisters.org.

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