Visiting Hours and Guidelines 

Visitor Restrictions at Newton-Wellesley Hospital

As part of the Commonwealth’s transition into Phase 2 of COVID-19 recovery, the Department of Public Health has released new guidance for hospitals regarding visitors. Following this guidance, Newton-Wellesley Hospital will be updating our visitor policy—effective Monday, June 15. Please see below for more details. Visiting hours are between 12pm-6pm, with exception. To promote rest and healing for our patients, it is recommended that all visits end by 6 p.m. Please note that the NWH cafeteria will not be open to patients or visitors at this time. Visitors may purchase food/beverages at Charlie’s on the Way. (Birth partners may order Room Service to the floor).

Definitions
A Visitor is any person who is present to see the patient during their hospital stay, including but not limited to a spouse, adult child, parent, close relative, friend, domestic partner or significant other. Visitors are not required to be legally related to the patient.  A Support Person does not count as a visitor. A support person may be a birth partner; parent of a patient under the age of 18; attorney of the patient; or companion for a patient with intellectual and/or physical disabilities. A patient may have a single visitor in addition to support people, with the exception of Labor & Delivery, Postpartum and Special Care Nursery (see below).

Labor & Delivery, Postpartum, Special Care Nursery
At this time Labor & Delivery, Postpartum and Special Care Nursery will not be allowing additional visitors. Patients in L&D/Postpartum may be accompanied by two (2) support people only; Special Care Nursery patients may be seen by two (2) support people at a time.

Inpatients
One healthy, adult visitor at a time. Visits should be limited as much as possible, to promote safe infection control practices.

• No visitors under the age of 18, unless the visitor is a child of the patient.
• Visitors are not permitted for patients with COVID-19, with limited exceptions.
• All visitors are required to wear a surgical or procedural mask at all times while in the hospital.
• Visitors should report to the nurses’ station upon arrival to the unit, before entering the patient’s room.
• Visitors may not wait in hospital common areas and should arrive at the time of their visit.

Perioperative Patients (Main OR, Outpatient Surgery Center, GI, Cardiovascular Center)
One visitor may drop off the patient, wait with them until they are ready to enter the procedural area and pick them up post-procedure.

• Visitors are not allowed in the pre-op or PACU areas. 
• All visitors will be screened and are required to wear masks at all times. 
• Visitors will receive text updates throughout the procedure and will be notified when the patient is ready for pick-up.

Emergency Department/Outpatient Appointments at the Hospital
To allow for physical distancing in areas with space limitations, visitors should not accompany patients to outpatient appointments or the Emergency Department, unless a support person is required. Each practice should communicate this restriction to their patients when scheduling appointments.

Offsite Locations and Practices
Offsite locations and practices should discourage visitors unless a support person is required. All patients, visitors and support people must be screened for symptoms upon arrival, and must wear a mask at all times.

All approved visitors must be over 18 years of age—and will be encouraged to remain six (6) feet from patients at all times and to wash or sanitize their hands before visiting a patient room.

Screening of Visitors and Patients Continues

We will continue to screen patients and visitors for symptoms, and exposure to potential COVID-19 cases at new check-in desks in the East Lobby, West Lobby, Emergency Department and Cancer Center. 

As of August 1, 2020, visitors must comply with the new Massachusetts travel orders to enter a Mass General Brigham hospital or doctor's office. Full details of the travel order are available here. Some important highlights include that if a visitor has traveled to a state at high-risk for COVID-19 infection, the visitor must:

1)  Quarantine for 14 days, or
2)  Produce a negative COVID-19 test obtained no more than 72 hours before arriving in Massachusetts

We will ask all visitors about their travel history before entering the hospital or a doctor's office. We also screen all patients and visitors for symptoms of COVID-19 infection at our entrances. Please ask your visitors to complete the Mass General Brigham visitor screening tool ahead of time, as it will help with entering the hospital and save time.

Please note two other important items:

1)  There are some very limited exceptions to the travel restrictions for visitors. You may contact your care team for more details on these exceptions.
2)  This travel order will not affect your ability as a patient to receive care in our hospitals and doctor's offices

Learn when and how loved ones can visit

Your family and friends are welcome to visit you during your hospital stay. We don’t restrict, limit, or otherwise deny visitation privileges based on:

• Color
• Disability
• Gender identity or expression
• National origin
• Race
• Religion
• Sex 
• Sexual orientation

We will inform you and/or your support person of your visitation rights, including any restrictions or limits on those rights based on your condition, through your Patient Rights Notice that you receive upon admission. You and your support person will be informed of the right, subject to your consent, to receive visitors whom you allow and your right to withdraw your consent for them to visit at any time. Examples of potential visitors include but are not limited to:

• Spouse
• Domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner)
• Other family members
• Friends

Your visitors should not bring you any food or drinks without your doctor’s approval.

Visiting Hours