Additional Restrictions to Protect Community Amid Rising Cases & Hospitalizations Community Amid Rising Cases & Hospitalizations
Due to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Hillsdale County and surrounding areas, Hillsdale Hospital is working to protect its staff, patients and the community by again prohibiting most visitors, effective immediately.
“Unfortunately, we have once again reached a point with new COVID-19 cases and new hospitalizations that we have to adopt additional visitor restrictions to prevent the spread and exposure of COVID-19,” Rachel Lott, director of marketing and development, said. “In our hospital and outpatient clinics, many of our patients have severe health conditions and may be at higher risk for COVID-19 complications. We want to protect those vulnerable individuals, as well as our hard-working team, by minimizing the total number of people in our facilities.”
Hillsdale Hospital currently has more patients hospitalized due to COVID-19 than it has had since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020. Daily cases continue to increase and the Hillsdale County positivity rate has risen above 19 percent.
VISITATION GUIDELINES
Visitors are prohibited from entry to all Hillsdale Hospital owned and operated locations and services, unless necessary for the patient to receive care (i.e. communication, mobility, caregiver, etc.) or in end-of-life circumstances. (All patients aged 21 and under may be accompanied by one parent or guardian.) Unit- or clinic-specific exceptions are as follows:
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- Emergency Room: One adult visitor per patient for the duration of that patient’s ER stay. Visitor must stay in the patient’s room unless asked to move to the waiting room due to patient condition.
- McGuire & MacRitchie (Skilled Nursing Facility): Call for latest restrictions.
- Medical/Surgical Unit: No visitors permitted.
- Behavioral Health Unit: No visitors permitted.
- Birthing Center (OB): Visitors permitted for laboring mothers only. One significant other/adult support person is permitted for the duration of the laboring mother’s stay (labor, delivery, and post-partum).
- Outpatient Surgery: One adult visitor may accompany the patient in the pre-operative area before they go back for surgery and in the recovery room after surgery. During the patient’s surgery, visitor must leave the facility or wait in their vehicle. Hillsdale Hospital staff will call the visitor when they can return to join their loved one in recovery.
- OB/GYN Clinic: One adult visitor per patient for obstetrics appointments only.
- All Other Outpatient Services & Clinics: No visitors permitted.
- Bill Payment & Medical Records: No on-site access permitted. Bills may be paid online through the patient portal at hillsdalehospital.com or over the phone by calling (517) 437-5222. Medical Records are available for pre-scheduled pickup only by calling (517) 437-5175. Once prepared, records may be picked up in the main hospital lobby.
The hospital and all of its locations and clinics will continue to screen all patients and permitted visitors. Masks are still required for all individuals, except patients who are medically unable to wear them. Hillsdale Hospital has not and will not deny medical care of any kind to patients who do not wear a mask. The Hillsdale Hospital Gift Shop and cafeteria are closed to the general public, but patients and permitted visitors are permitted to use these amenities.
Restrictions will be reassessed daily and changes will be communicated to the media and to the public via official Hillsdale Hospital channels as soon as possible. For complete details, visit www.hillsdalehospital.com/coronavirus.
