Those who are under 18 won’t be permitted to visit patients — whether friends or family — in hospital lobbies, waiting areas, classrooms and patient rooms. The policy does not apply to children needing medical care at the hospital.
“Children that are under age of 18 are very susceptible to catching the H1N1 flu, and we wanted to try to keep them as healthy as possible,” said Jane Wilder, community relations director at TMC. “We also wanted to avoid anyone bringing it into the hospital, as well.”
Unlike seasonal flu, the H1N1 “swine flu” virus has been most prevalent in children and young adults, and those who are infected may be contagious before they show any sign of illness. It generally produces mild flu symptoms, but it can cause dangerous complications like pneumonia in those with underlying health problems.
Thomasville Medical Center, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and Novant Health’s Forsyth Medical Center, including Medical Park Hospital, will put the policy into effect Thursday. Lexington Memorial Hospital, which is holding a Community Appreciation Day event on Saturday, is waiting until Monday.
Wilder said that the hospital is encouraging everyone to wash their hands regularly and keep up good hygiene habits to further prevent the spread of contagious illnesses. The length of the new policy’s effectiveness depends on the continued prevalence of H1N1.
“We hope that it won’t be too long, because we know it’s an inconvenience to some people, but we hope that they’ll understand that we’re doing this for the good of their health,” she said.
Kati Everett, Novant Health spokesperson, said that there are exceptions to the policy, including visitors of patients in end-of-life care, fathers of babies being delivered, and people accompanying emergency department patients.
“We don’t want anyone to think that they can’t come to the emergency department because they can’t find a babysitter,” Everett said. “We are not trying to create an undue burden on the family ... We’re trying to take a reasonable approach to this.”
Officials at the organization are keeping a close eye on the spread of H1N1, she said, to see when it could bring the new policy to an end.
This is the first time Novant Health has implemented a collective restriction on visitation. Everett said that some families have complained and shared valid frustrations, but most understand the reasoning behind the decision.
“We certainly believe in and recognize the value of visitors in the healing process, especially visitors that are children,” she said. “We wish we didn’t need to implement this. Primarily, this is in the best interest of the patients who are with us, but it certainly also protects the children who would come.”
Staff Writer Karissa Minn can be reached at 888-3576 or newsdesk@tvilletimes.com.
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