St. Luke’s Updates Visitor Policy

St. Luke’s has updated its visitor policy in response to increased COVID-19 prevalence in the community.

For the safety of all, St. Luke’s is limiting visitors. Under the updated inpatient visitor policy, no visitors are allowed for adult patients who are confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19 until the patient is no longer in isolation. Rare exceptions will be made by the healthcare team on an invitation-only basis. For example, patients at end-of-life or vulnerable adults who need help communicating or making decisions could be among the rare exceptions.

There will also be visitor exceptions made for labor and delivery patients and pediatric patients with COVID-19. A labor and delivery patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 will be allowed one adult support person. If the patient has a doula, the doula will be allowed, too. Neither the support person nor the doula can have or be suspected of having COVID-19. A pediatric patient with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 will be allowed to have one parent or guardian visitor.

For patients who do not have confirmed or suspected COVID-19, the following visitor rules apply to each patient category.

• Adult: One adult visitor per day, 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• Mental Health: No visitors are allowed on that unit due to challenges with social distancing on that unit
• Pediatric: Up to two parents/guardians
• Newborns: If a newborn’s mother has been discharged, the mother may visit as frequently as she is able
• Critically unstable: Up to two adult visitors per day
• Hospice, not at end-of-life: One adult visitor per day, 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
• End-of-life: Up to two visitors at a time (including people under the age of 18, if supervised by an adult). Once visitors leave campus, they cannot return that day, however up to two more people may enter the hospital and visit the patient. Patient cannot have more than four visitors per day

Adult patients in St. Luke’s Emergency Department can have one adult visitor and pediatric patients can have up to two parents or guardians.

At St. Luke’s clinics, adult patients will be allowed one visitor per appointment. Pediatric patients can have up to two parents or guardians per appointment.

The changes are now in effect and may be adjusted again as COVID-19 is monitored in our region and community.

For more information on St. Luke’s visitor policy and visitor requirements visit slhduluth.com/visitors.