NE Atlanta News

Northside Hospital Forsyth issued the following announcement on August 11.

Northside Hospital has established visitation guidelines that consider patient, public health and staff safety, as well as the emotional and care needs of patients and their families who are separated while facing illness or life events. Northside reserves the right to reduce visitation access at any time based on public health and safety concerns.

Visitor Policy

• One visitor per day will be allowed for non-COVID medical, surgical and ICU patients during specified hours:
  • Northside Hospital Atlanta – 1 p.m.–7 p.m.
  • Northside Hospital Cherokee – 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
  • Northside Hospital Duluth – 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
  • Northside Hospital Forsyth – 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
  • Northside Hospital Gwinnett – 11 a.m.–8 p.m.

   The visitor must remain the same person for the duration of the visit and must be age 16 or older.

• Emergency Department visitors will be allowed on an exception basis. Exceptions will be made for patients receiving end-of-life care, rapid decline in condition, behavioral health concerns, or other unique patient conditions. 
• Women’s Services, surgical and procedural areas will continue to permit one support person/care partner per patient. Labor & Delivery patients are allowed one support person (includes doulas) of the mother's choosing for the duration of the hospital stay. No substitutions are allowed.
• Northside Hospital Special Care Nurseries will permit two primary caregivers to visit their infant in the NICU for eight hours each day; this may be extended to four hours for discharge training. Northside staff will continue to provide resources – including tablets for live streaming and emailed photographs – to enable visitors to connect with the babies.
• Patients undergoing outpatient surgery or procedures are allowed one visitor in the waiting room. 
• Visitors are not allowed at outpatient facilities, including all Northside Hospital Cancer Institute outpatient oncology practices and infusion centers.
• Minor patients (under 18) are allowed two visitors.
• Exceptions may be made for patients receiving end-of-life care, rapid decline in condition, emergency care, behavioral health concerns or other unique patient conditions.

Visitor Screening Guidelines and Requirements

All visitors will be required to:

• Wear a facemask covering their mouth and nose at all times while in the facility.
• Perform frequent hand hygiene. Remain in the patient's room at all times unless asked to wait in another designated area. Visitors/caregivers who do not comply with the guidelines will be asked to leave the facility.

Visitors will be screened for symptoms of acute respiratory illness in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines before entering the facility: 

• Visitors with a positive screen will not be permitted to enter the facility
• Visitors with a negative screen will receive a colored armband each day. The band must be worn for the duration of each daily visit.

During non-visiting hours, we encourage family members and friends to use alternative means to interact with loved ones via phone and video calls (FaceTime, Skype, etc.), social media and other tools. Scroll down for information about how to call or send mail to a patient at a Northside hospital.

Infection control and prevention measures are always a priority at Northside Hospital. Our Infection Control specialists and clinical leadership have a coordinated and comprehensive plan to handle infectious disease patients, adhering to the CDC’s recommendations and guidelines for prevention, surveillance and treatment.

For more information about COVID-19, prevention and symptoms, please visit the following resources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Georgia Department of Public Health.

Original source can be found here.