Maury Regional Health has joined other hospitals in Middle Tennessee in implementing additional visitation restrictions as more cases of COVID-19 are diagnosed in Tennessee.
The no-visitation policy became effective March 20 at 4 a.m. at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Marshall Medical Center in Lewisburg and Wayne Medical Center in Waynesboro. It will remain in effect until further notice.
“This is an unprecedented time for health organizations across the country. We must make every effort to help curb the spread of COVID-19 and this new visitation restriction is part of our continued response,” said Maury Regional Health CEO Alan Watson.
Under the latest restrictions, visitors are not permitted at Maury Regional Medical Center, Marshall Medical Center or Wayne Medical Center with these limited exceptions:
Emergency departments – one support person may be allowed based on patient age and condition. Visitors may be asked to wait in the car.
Pediatric patients – one parent/guardian or caregiver per day
Childbirth patients – one support partner per day
Outpatient testing and surgery – one support person on the day of testing/surgery
Visitors are not permitted to wait in main lobbies or emergency room waiting areas. A support person must be 16 or older. Any other exceptions, including end-of-life situations, will be reviewed on an individual basis.
Those who meet one of the visitation exceptions must enter the hospital through a designated entrance where they will be greeted by a staff member who will perform a brief screening to assess for symptoms and other risk factors.
At Maury Regional Medical Center, use the hospital’s main entrance on Trotwood Avenue between 4 a.m. and 8 p.m. The Emergency Department entrance should be used after 8 p.m.
At Wayne Medical Center, the Emergency Department entrance should be used at all times.
Upon admission, patients will be encouraged to designate a single point of contact with whom the care team can communicate about the patient’s condition during their hospital stay. During this time of restricted visitation, those who have a loved one in the hospital are strongly encouraged to make use of technology to stay in touch, including phone, text and apps such as FaceTime.
“We are relying on the public to adhere to these new restrictions, which are intended to protect the health and safety of our patients, staff members, physicians and community,” said Watson.
