twitter Tweet

Aug. 18, 2021: OHSU restricts visitation in light of COVID-19 surge

Vaccination or a non-detect test result will be expected of hospital, outpatient clinic visitors
Aerial view of OHSU's Marquam Hill academic medical center campus: buildings, paths, streets, trees.
Aerial of OHSU. (OHSU/Aaron Bieleck)

UPDATEEffective Oct. 25, 2021, OHSU is once again allowing visitors for hospital inpatients and in clinics. For details, see the OHSU Patient Visitation Information.

 

Oregon Health & Science University is restricting visitation to patients at OHSU and Doernbecher Children’s hospitals and all OHSU outpatient clinics, in light of the current surge in COVID-19 cases across the region.

The restrictions take effect beginning Thursday, Aug. 19, and will remain in place until the current surge in cases subsides. Exceptions include visitors for pediatrics, labor and delivery and end of life.

OHSU recognizes that support from friends and family is an important part of healing, and the decision to restrict visitors reflects the gravity of the current phase of the pandemic. The highly infectious delta variant is driving a dramatic spike in cases throughout the region.

The revised policy:

  • No visitors: Adult patients (including oncology, day procedure/surgery, emergency department, ambulatory clinics), patients with COVID-19 and patients under investigation for COVID-19.
  • One visitor: Post-partum labor and delivery patients, laboring patient with COVID-19, pediatric patients (including neonatal intensive care, pediatric patients with COVID-19, day procedure/surgery, oncology, emergency department, and ambulatory clinics).
  • Two visitors: Adult and pediatric patients near death, actively laboring (non-COVID) patients, and adult and pediatric patients with COVID-19 near death.

People with disabilities can have a support person at their bedside around the clock, in accordance with state law, and will be restricted to three people in a 24-hour period. Only one visitor may be present at bedside at a time.

Because vaccination remains the surest way to end the pandemic, all visitors and support persons will be expected to be vaccinated or have a “not detected” COVID-19 result from a test taken within the previous 72 hours. Visitors will be required to follow OHSU’s infection prevention and control measures, including wearing a mask, cleaning hands and physically distancing. Additionally, visitors will be expected to limit their movement in buildings and remain within the patient room during visits.

The requirements will be communicated at entry access checkpoints.

See details of the visitation policy.

 

Previous Story Community COVID-19 vaccine clinics offered throughout Portland metro area Next Story “This is a preventable illness”