Current Visitor Restrictions at Highland Hospital

The New York State Department of Health issued guidance in late October advising hospitals to suspend visitation when the community reaches “orange” or “red” zone designation. The Rochester community has now been designated an “orange zone” and Highland Hospital has adopted a no visitor policy effective November 25th, 2020. We will continue to revisit the visitation policy routinely, and may change at any time based on the current risk surrounding the spread of COVID-19.

While visitors are not allowed, a support person may be designated for some hospital patients as determined by the medical care team.

  • A support person may be designated for some hospital patients as determined by the medical care team.
    • Support persons are often appropriate for patients at the end of life, with cognitive impairment such as dementia or delirium, or with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
    • Two support persons may be designated per hospital stay with no changes and no exceptions, with only one at a time in the hospital.
  • All support persons are to be masked throughout the hospital and asked to remain masked while in the patient room.
  • Screening Process
    • Upon arrival to the hospital, all support persons will be screened and have their temperature taken in the hospital’s Main Lobby or North Entrance.
    • They will be asked to present identification and give their name and the patient for whom they are a support person.
    • If at any point an individual is identified to have symptoms, they will be asked to leave the hospital.
    • Individuals who are currently under quarantine may not be designated as a patient’s support person.
  • Remain with Your Loved One
    • To minimize exposure for everyone, support persons MUST stay with their patient continually, except if asked to step out by staff for patient care.
    • Support persons must remain masked at all times, including while in patient rooms.
    • For patient and caregiver safety, we ask that support persons do not use the patient’s bathroom while visiting, but use public restrooms on the patient’s unit.
  • Leaving and Returning to the Hospital
    • Support persons may leave and come back during the day, however we ask that the frequency of coming and going be limited.
    • Support persons should not leave the building to smoke. Those who smoke are encouraged to bring nicotine replacement with them.
    • When support persons leave to go home, we expect that he or she will continue to consistently observe masking, social distancing and handwashing hygiene to protect your loved one, our staff, and the community at large.
  • Food
    • Support persons may not leave the patient room to visit the cafeteria, coffee shop, gift shop, or vending machines to purchase food and drink.
    • Exception: Support persons for obstetrics may purchase food from the cafeteria and then return to the patient’s room immediately
    • Support persons may not bring food in to be consumed in patient rooms, as that would require the support person to remove their mask.
  • Labor & Delivery
    • Patients may designate one support person during labor, delivery, and the immediate postpartum period, including recovery until discharge.
    • A doula is considered part of the care team, and may be present in addition to one designated support person.
    • Support persons may leave the room, masked, to purchase food and beverage in the cafeteria or vending machines and then return directly to the patient room.
  • Special Care Nursery
    • Two support persons (parents or guardians) may be designated, but only one designated parent or guardian is permitted at a time.
    • Support persons may leave the room, masked, to purchase food and beverage in the cafeteria or vending machines and then return directly to the Special Care Nursery.
  • Highland recognizes the need for compassionate visitation for patients whose death is imminent (within 72 hours) as indicated by the attending physician. 
  • In this circumstance the hospital may allow first degree family members to visit the patient. 
    • The visits will be limited to one-to-two visitors at one time for brief visits (less than 20 minutes), for one visit only. 
    • Everyone entering the hospital is required to wear a mask including if they are alone in a room with a loved one.
    • End-of-life visitors will be required to pass screening. 
    • End-of-life visitors are allowed in addition to designated support person(s).
  • Two support persons may also be designated per hospital stay with no changes and no exceptions.
  • Support persons are often appropriate for patients with cognitive impairment such as dementia or delirium, or with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities.
  • Two support persons may be designated per hospital stay with no changes and no exceptions, with only one at a time in the hospital.
  • Support persons must remain with the patient at all times, except to use public restrooms.
  • Support persons are not allowed for patients having surgical procedures. Patients may only have a support person accompany them to pre-surgical process if the medical team deems that the patient is cognitively impaired (dementia or delirium) or has intellectual and/or developmental disabilities
    • The support person must leave the premises once the patient goes into surgery.
    • The support person may return at discharge.
    • If the patient is admitted to the hospital after surgery then the support person must follow the guidelines outlined above under the Support Person section.
  • The current No Visitors policy in the Emergency Room remains in effect.
  • Exceptions to this include patients for whom a support person is deemed essential to care due to intellectual and/or developmental disabilities, cognitive impairments including dementia, and any patients facing imminent end of life.

Masking Requirements

Surgical masks are required to be worn throughout your stay in the hospital. This is for your safety, the safety of our staff, and the safety of others.

Support Person Access

  • Main Lobby entrance (open 24/7)
  • North Lot entrance (open 6:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday - Friday)

Parking

Parking is available in the ramp garage and the North Lot.

Bringing in Items for a Patient

We allow our patients to receive personal items from home.  Food is not allowed to be brought into the hospital, but you may bring your loved ones items such as clothing, reading materials, pictures, etc. 

We ask that you please do the following when you drop off items.

  • Items are to be brought to the Main Lobby of Highland Hospital between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm.
  • Items are to be placed in a bag and labeled appropriately:
    • Patient Name
    • Patient Room #
    • Name of person dropping off items
    • Contact information (phone) of the person dropping off the items