BATON ROUGE- Our Lady of the Lake facilities will allow limited visitation for individuals to serve as an essential advocate for patients beginning Friday, May 29.

Upon admission, visitors will be required to identify their advocates' name and will be the patient's designated visitor for the entire stay, OLOL announced Thursday.

Patients who are not COVID positive or being ruled out for COVID will be limited to one visitor, 18 years or older, per day.

“As our ministry continues to respond to COVID-19, patient and team member safety remains our highest priority,” Dr. Catherine O’Neal said, Chief medical officer at Our Lady of the Lake. “Working closely with our clinical teams, we are now at a point where we can resume limited visitation within strict guidelines. We recognize the importance of in-person support while recovering in the hospital. The unprecedented decision to restrict visitation was made to protect our community and especially the medical teams who must be available to care for you throughout this pandemic.”

“Baton Rouge has come together over the last several months and we cannot thank you enough for playing your part in stopping the spread of COVID-19,” Dr. O’Neal continued. “This fight is not over and COVID-19 is not going away. Thanks to the tireless work of our healthcare heroes and your community partnership with us, we have made positive steps in the right direction and updating our visitation policy is evidence of that.”

Our Lady of the Lake’s new visitation policy is subject to the following guidelines and exceptions:

Patient Visitation Guideline

- Visitation of patients will be limited to one visitor, identified as the designated advocate, (18 years or older).

- Visiting hours will be from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.

- Visitors will be screened for symptoms daily and will receive a wristband with the current date that must be worn for the duration of their visit

- It is strongly recommended that people who have chronic conditions such as diabetes, lung or heart disease or are older than 70 do not visit patients in our facilities for their own protection.

Exceptions to the Visitor Policy:

- Patients who are confirmed COVID-19 or are persons under investigation (PUI): No visitors will be permitted, except for end of life situations.

- For inpatients whose condition may necessitate that the designated advocate is key to their care or necessary to provide assistance or medical history, the designated advocate may be allowed to stay overnight in collaboration with the clinical team.

- Surgery and Procedures: Patients undergoing surgery or procedures may have one designated visitor who will be permitted to assist with the arrival, registration, and the post-operative process if needed.

- Emergency Department: One visitor (18 years or older) is allowed during a patient’s emergency department stay.

- Children’s Hospital: For our pediatric patients, up to 2 parents or legal guardians will be allowed to stay with the child throughout their stay.

- Outpatient Appointments: Patients may have one visitor to accompany them during their appointment if assistance is needed.

Screening:

All visitors will be screened daily for symptoms, including:

- Fever greater than or equal to 100.4°F

- Cough

- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

- Sore throat

- Congestion that differs from their typical seasonal allergies

- Body aches

- Fatigue

- Loss of smell/taste

- Diarrhea

If a visitor says “YES” to any of the screening symptoms, they will not be allowed entry into the facility.

Masks

OLOL is asking visitors and patients to wear masks upon entering and while inside the facilities to protect their team, patients, and community.

Connecting Virtually

Ipads will be available to help facilitate virtual communication between patients and their loved ones who may be unable to visit at this time.

"We understand and recognize how important the support of family and loved ones are to our patients while we care for them. We encourage our patients to visit virtually with their loved ones through cellular devices, so they can still be connected and feel supported during their time with us," OLOL said in a news release.