Last updated: 07/18/23
Your health and safety remain our top priority whether you are a patient or visitor. For ease during your visit, please refer to the COVID-19 protocols below. Our guidelines remain up to date with the latest recommendations from the New York State Department of Health.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call your doctor’s office or send us a direct message on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
Masking:
- Masks are encouraged but not mandatory for patients, staff, and visitors in common areas and many patient care areas of the hospital. Most of our front desk staff remain masked.
- Masks are required in certain marked areas, and you will see signs in these locations:
- Certain Outpatient/Ambulatory physician practices and care centers, including Hematology/Oncology, Transplant, and Infusion
- Emergency Department
- Many inpatient areas, including all ICUs, Hematology/Oncology Units, Transplant Units
- Other designated areas in which patients may be immunocompromised or have viral respiratory symptoms
- Please seek guidance from support staff or at nursing stations if you have any questions about mask requirements.
Pre-Procedure COVID-19 Testing Requirements:
- For outpatient procedures that do not require hospital admission, pre-procedure testing is no longer required for asymptomatic patients.
- Pre-procedure testing is still required for same-day admission patients.
- For hospitalized patients who were previously tested at the time of admission, repeat testing prior to a procedure (e.g., within 5 days) is no longer required for asymptomatic patients.
- In general, pre-procedure testing is not required for patients who have recovered from COVID-19 within the previous 3 months. (Please discuss this with your care team prior to surgery.)
COVID-19 Risk and Exposure:
*In accordance with CDC recommendations for healthcare settings
- Visitors with symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose, diarrhea or vomiting should not visit until they are well and no longer have symptoms.
- Visitors recently diagnosed with COVID-19 should not visit until 10 days have passed since their COVID-19 diagnosis.
- Visitors who had a recent close contact with someone with COVID-19 and who cannot tolerate continuously wearing a mask, should not visit until 10 days have passed since their last contact.
- We encourage visitors to remain closely connected to their loved ones through virtual means, including Skype, FaceTime, and/or phone. We are here to assist you if needed and/or provide a device in order to do so.
- Temporary visitation exceptions may be granted in all medical settings for patients in extenuating circumstances, such as imminent end-of-life, hospice care, and/or a specific patient needing extra support.
Visitor Policy in the Hospital:
- Visitors are welcome between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. Two visitors at a time are permitted for each adult patient. On Pediatric Units, parents and/or guardians are excluded from this general visitation hour policy and can stay with their children.
- One overnight visitor is permitted to stay in a private room between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. In semi-private rooms, an overnight support person may stay in the unit’s visitor lounge. At the discretion of the care team, the support person may be allowed at the bedside throughout the night.
- Two caregivers/support persons per pediatric patient are allowed at one time in pediatric units and in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). We ask that the two caregivers/support persons remain the same as much as possible. In pediatric units, visitors must be 12 years or older, and to enter the NICU you must be 18.
Outpatient Surgery and External Physician Practices
- One support person will be permitted to accompany adult patients to their appointment.
- Pediatric patients may be accompanied by two adult caregivers.
- If you prefer to have a support person with you virtually through Skype, Zoom, Facetime, or phone call, our staff can assist when needed.
For any general questions about exposure or health concerns, please call the COVID-19 Public Hotline: (646) 697-4000.