Last updated June 23, 2020
Thank you for allowing UCSF Health care for you and your loved ones. Safety is our highest priority. In order to continue to protect everyone in our buildings and reduce the risk of COVID-19, we have added measures to ensure you and your family continue to receive safe care.
All visitors will be screened and asked to follow entry requirements outlined below. We ask that you respect this guideline and follow these procedures for the safety of everyone.
Visitor Screening Process
- One approved visitor per day for general visitation will be identified by patient and placed on the official visitor list by nursing/clinical team.
- An electronic Pre-Arrival Health Screening will be sent to visitor via email or text on the day of visit.
- On day of visit, visitor must complete and pass the three Question Screening prior to arrival.
- Visitor will need to show PASS Confirmation to screener at the lobby entrance to enter.
- Visitor will be checked in and badged if visiting a patient in the hospital.
Visiting Responsibly Requirements
- Everyone is screened daily.
- Screeners will provide a surgical mask to be worn at all times in our buildings. Cloth masks are not allowed.
- Gel in/Hand hygiene-Visitors will need to use hand sanitizer on entry and throughout stay.
- Practice Physical Distancing by keeping a two arm distance from others as well as obey visual cues on floor, furniture and walls.
- Limit your visit to the patient room or clinic, and no lingering in hallways.
General Visitation Hours and Guidelines by Department
| Adult Inpatient Departments | 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. | One (1) visitor allowed per day |
| Emergency Departments | Open hours | One (1) primary caregiver allowed per day |
| Birth Center (Labor & Delivery/Maternity) | Open hours | One (1) visitor allowed per day |
| Emergency Department | Open hours | One (1) visitor allowed per day |
| Surgery Departments | During time surgery is in process | One (1) visitor allowed |
| Ambulatory Services | Clinic hours | Only visitors on exception list allowed |
| Cancer Center | Clinic hours | One (1) visitor allowed (beginning July 1, 2020) |
| Pediatric Inpatient & Outpatient Departments | Clinic hours / Open hours | One (1) primary caregiver allowed per day |
Inpatient, ED, Birth Center, Surgery and Ambulatory Visiting Exceptions (Essential Visitation)
- Visits to a patient not expected to survive the current hospital stay referred to as end of life.
- Visits to patients who are in Comfort Care/Hospice. Visitors of all ages are allowed.
- Visits by anyone who is legally authorized to make decisions for the patient, whether by operation of a DPOA or conservatorship, or a surrogate decision-maker as recognized by the provider team for patients who lack decisional capacity.
- Support persons for patients with cognitive impairment and/or other neurologic injury (e.g. stroke) or those who have developed hospital delirium and/or dementia, where the consistent presence of the visitor is necessary to reduce the risk of medical or clinical harm.
- Support persons for patients with developmental disabilities, physical disabilities/limitations or cognitive impairment who require assistance.
- Visits by family and legal advisors to update a patient’s will or other legal papers.
- Unique situations that may arise where the visitor need should be discussed with the on-site nursing director.
Additional Inpatient Stay and Come-and-Go Surgeries exceptions
- Visits by anyone who is legally authorized to make decisions for the patient, whether by operation of a DPOA or conservatorship, or a surrogate decision-maker as recognized by the provider team for patients who lack decisional capacity.
- Support persons for patients with physical or developmental disabilities who require assistance (examples: hearing loss, wheelchair bound, LVADs, dementia, aphasia).
- Minors allowed one adult visitor.
- Family members of patients who are in end of life care or experiencing an acute life-threatening event who, in the judgement of the provider team, is expected not to survive the current hospital stay.
- Patients and family members who would benefit from face to face teaching either because of the complexity of the material or the needs of patient or caregivers.
Additional Ambulatory clinic appointments exceptions
- Evaluations for transplant that require a patient to bring a caregiver or other support person because the clinical team needs to ensure a comprehensive support system is in place and assess the support person’s ability to comply with the post-transplant expectations per UNOS and CMS guidelines.
- For Pediatrics and the birth center: All patients with an appointment in a Pediatric clinic or Pediatric Infusion Center (this is not limited to patients who are <18 years of age due to instances when older patients may have developmental reasons that require a visitor/caregiver to accompany them)
- For Orthopaedic Institute Surgery Center: All surgical patients may be accompanied by a caregiver or support person who is their source of transportation.
Cancer Center Visiting (Essential Visitation)
- In person visitors/caregivers arestrongly discouraged due to the risk of exposure for patients, medical providers and staff and reduce the spread of transmission.
- Beginning July 1, 2020: One adult visitor/essential caregiver per patient will be allowed to enter after being screened at the entrance to the building or clinic.Smaller sites where there is not enough space for safe physical distancing will not be able to permit one visitor.
- Visitors may not always be able to stay and participate in the patient visit or treatment but may have option to participate via Zoom/FaceTime
- Unit staff will continuously assess the physical space and length of care to determine if the visitor can remain for all or some of the visit or treatment.
- Our infusion and radiation therapy centers have very limited space and visitors will only be allowed to stay as an exception.Patients scheduled for these treatments should speak to the staff in advance of their treatment to determine if a visitor can accompany them to their treatment.Exceptions will be made on a visit by visit basis.Please do not show up with a visitor if they have not been previously approved.
- These are very challenging times and we ask that patients and visitors follow the direction of the staff and are understanding of the evolving circumstances and variation at our different sites and centers.For example, a patient and their visitor may be able to stay together for an office visit in one practice but the next time they come, the visitor may be asked to wait outside.
Pediatric Visiting Exceptions (Essential Visitation)
- Caseworkers from DCFS, CPS
- Complicated Discharge Needs—two primary caregivers allowed for teaching and coordination. Examples include, but not limited to:
- 24 hours of care for new trach patients
- Appointments with equipment vendors for training requiring multiple caregivers
- At time of discharge to assist with equipment coordination, if is a lift restriction for mother (postpartum), or disabled parent/caregiver.
- MIBG—two primary caregivers allowed to split radiation load
- Symptomatic primary caregiver if essential to care of the patient and no alterative can be identified:
- Caregiver must wear mask at all times while on campus, including in the patient room
- Caregiver must stay in patient room at all times
- Postpartum readmission to the Birth Center—primary caregiver and infant allowed for rooming in to promote initiation of breastfeeding
- End of Life
- Two primary caregivers are allowed at bedside
- An additional six visitors allowed when death is imminent, for total of eight. No more than four total people at the patient’s bedside at any time, and additional visitors should only swap with each other once.
- Surgical cases where the patient will recover in a critical care setting—two caregivers are allowed for peri-op period and during immediate post-op period in ICU
- Patient on ECMO during cannulation and decannulation
- Patients with documented/diagnosed severe behavioral challenges who require a second caregiver to control behavior during peri-op period and while initiating inpatient admission. This may include during the inpatient stay with Patient Care Director discussion & approval.
- Patients with two or more medical devices (FLIGHT patients) for peri-op period and while initiating inpatient admission
- Patient deterioration, code, Med-Stat or RRT event until situation stabilizes
- Juvenile Justice Center Minors Accompanied by ACPD (Alameda County Police Department)
- As needed on a case by case if no alternative can be identified after consulting with unit director and patient care director
- COVID + Birth Center patients who require care in an adult ICU would not be allowed to have a visitor, per the adult inpatient visitor restrictions.
Information for Families of Patients in Our Hospitals
- Patients and their loved ones must designate a single individual who will be the point of contact for all information and conversations with the care team.
- The designated point of contact will be responsible for sharing information with other family members or loved ones that should have this information.
- The designated point of contact will hear from a member of the care team at least once a day for regular updates, or more frequently if there are significant changes in the condition of the patient or their care.
- Some exceptions may apply as determined by the caregiving team.
Virtual Visit Assistance
We encourage virtual visitation through Zoom and FaceTime. Click here for instructions.