GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Spectrum Health has revised its visitor policies after seeing a significant increase of COVID-19 patients in its hospitals. The hospital network announced Wednesday that the revisions include heightened visitor restrictions to reduce the amount of people in its Grand Rapids regional hospitals and outpatient care sites.
The revisions come after a week of record-breaking COVID-19 numbers in Spectrum’s hospitals. On Monday, Spectrum reported that 151 people were hospitalizes with the coronavirus in its hospitals. At the time, Leon Hendrix with Spectrum Health communications said that was a record since the onset of the pandemic. However, that record has since been broken. According to the Spectrum Health COVID-19 dashboard, 162 of its patients currently have COVID-19.
Due to these numbers, Spectrum Health is implementing new visitor restrictions, which go into effect Thursday, Oct. 29. Now, adult patients are only allowed one other family member to visit. This must be the same person for the patient’s entire hospital stay. However, the following exceptions do apply:
- Labor and delivery obstetrics patients are allowed two adult visitors. These must be the same two people for the patient’s entire hospital stay.
- Patients with COVID-19 are not allowed in-person visitors, however the care team will work with patients and families to coordinate virtual visits.
- Emergency department patients are limited to one adult guest per patient.
- Adult radiology and laboratory patients at the hospital or outpatient care sites are not allowed guests except for those patients who need assistance with activities of daily living or have cognitive impairments. These individuals will be allowed one adult guest.
- Adult patients at Spectrum Health physician offices and surgery centers are allowed one adult family member or guest per patient.
- Pediatric patients under the age of 21 are allowed two adult family members (parent or guardian or their designee only) per patient stay.
- For pediatric outpatient services, physician offices and surgery, pediatric patients are allowed two family members or guests per patient visit.
- Pediatric radiology patients are allowed one adult family member per patient.
- Pediatric hematology and oncology clinic and infusion center patients are allowed one adult family member per patient.
The new restrictions apply to the following Spectrum Health locations:
- Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital
- Spectrum Health Blodgett Hospital
- Spectrum Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital
- Spectrum Health Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center
- Spectrum Health Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion
- Spectrum Health Big Rapids Hospital
- Spectrum Health Gerber Memorial
- Spectrum Health Kelsey Hospital
- Spectrum Health Pennock
- Spectrum Health Reed City Hospital
- Spectrum Health United Hospital
- Spectrum Health Zeeland Community Hospital
- Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital
All visitors will be screened before entry into Spectrum Health facilities and will be required to wear a mask that covers both the mouth and nose. Dining rooms will be closed, but hospital food services will be available in the cafeteria through to-go orders.
More information about the new visitor restrictions can be found here.
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