Beaumont relaxes visitation rules for non COVID-19 patients
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Beaumont Health announced on Monday, the hospitals are allowing visitations for family members of patients who are not being treated for COVID-19.
In a press release from the hospital system, Beaumont said it's making changes effective on Monday, Feb. 15 at 8 a.m. to allow visitation for patients as it's seeing a decline in the number of people being treated at the hospital who are positive for the virus.
"We recognize having loved ones visit benefits our patients and helps our staff deliver the patient and family-centered care that is at the center of everything we do at Beaumont. However, COVID-19 continues to spread in our community. Therefore, we cannot lift all restrictions. We look forward to the day when we are able to welcome all family and friends without these COVID-19 modifications," said Beaumont Health Chief Nursing Officer Susan Grant.
Under the new guidelines, patients who do not have or are not suspected of having the virus can have one support person per day between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Patients who are at end-of-life or are in hospice care are allowed to have two support people visit.
Women in labor may have a support person and a doula present.
Children, classified by the hospital as 21 years and younger, can have two parents or guardians present between visiting hours and one is allowed to stay overnight.
Patients with babies in the NICU must talk to the staff about visitation.
The hospital also said there are other extreme conditions when "the benefits of presence outweigh the risk of COVID-19 exposure" to allow for more than one visitor.
Beaumont caution that if cases start to climb again, the visitation guidelines will be adjusted.
The hospital group most recently adjusted its restrictions on November 19 as cases in the state were surging and hospital rates were climbing. That was around the same time that Michigan instituted a pause, closing bars and restaurants, movie theaters, and more.
In the three months since then, Michigan's cases and hospitalizations have signifcantly decreased with rates at their lowest level since September.