Thank you for visiting CHA.
Please read the following information if you are planning to visit a friend or family member in our clinics or hospitals.
Visitor Standards (all visits)
Clinic Visits
Emergency Department Visits
Hospital Med-Surg and ICU
Hospital Maternity
Hospital Psychiatry
Patients and visitors will be screened for illness:
You should not visit if you have symptoms of COVID or a flu-like illness. If you are visiting someone in a hospital (inpatient area), and you pass the screening, you will receive a visitor badge, which must be worn throughout the visit.
All visitors must be symptom-free:
You must not have had a diagnosis or exposure to COVID-19 in the past 10 days. (For end of life visits only, exceptions to these criteria may be made on a case by case basis.)
As of May 12, 2023, most CHA buildings and clinics are mask-optional.
Masks are still be available in our lobbies for those who wish to wear one.
As some people remain at high risk for illness, we are still requiring masks for patients, visitors and staff in the following locations:
- The Infusion Clinics at CHA Cambridge Hospital and CHA Everett Hospital, which care for a high number of patients with cancer.
- The Geriatric Psychiatry Unit at CHA Everett Hospital (Lewis 2).
- Hospital rooms where patients have COVID.
- If you have symptoms, or if you are in areas where our staff feel you need protection or we need to protect the health of our patients.
Clinic Visits:
Patients coming to an outpatient clinic are allowed to bring at least one individual to accompany them.
Additional people with the patient will be at the discretion of the provider and clinic.
Emergency Department:
Patients in the Emergency Department may have one visitor accompany them.
Visiting Patients in the Hospital:
When you arrive at the hospital:
Please stop at the front entrance. Our staff will ask you questions (screening) according to current standards.
The front desk staff will ask you who you are coming to visit and then call the nursing unit.
The unit staff will confirm that the patient can receive a visitor.
The front desk staff will instruct you to go to the unit and check in at the nurses station upon arrival.
Any visitor who comes to a nursing unit without a screening sticker will be redirected to the front desk for screening.
If ayou are unable to visit a patient:
The front desk staff will explain why you cannot visit at this time.
The front desk staff can provide you with a phone number for the unit if you have additional questions.
1. Med Surg and ICU Inpatient Units:
Med Surg Units regardless of COVID status
There are no restrictions to the number of visitors per day. However, we may limit the number of visitors at one time to maintain social distancing.
Visiting hours will be between 10 am - 8 pm.
We will not unreasonably limit the length of time of a visit.
Visitors under age 18 are allowed by exception only.
ICU Inpatient Units regardless of COVID status
There are no restrictions to the number of visitors per day; however, we may limit the number of visitors at one time to maintain social distancing.
There is no limitation to time of day or duration of visits.
COVID-positive patients
Visitation for COVID positive patients is encouraged by video technology.
People visiting in person COVID positive patients must don full PPE provided by a CHA healthcare worker (HCW).
HCW will provide instructions on proper use of PPE (refer to the appendix for donning and doffing to inform the proper sequence) and instruct the visitor on required hand hygiene practices.
Patients approaching end of life or at end of life
Limited exceptions to visitor restrictions may be approved by the care team.
2. Maternity, Labor and Delivery and Postpartum:
All patients and support persons/birth partners will be issued a mask to wear when they are in public hallways.
All patients and support persons must wear masks while any staff members are in their hospital room.
Pregnant patients’ healthy children and/or siblings of newborns may visit, but should be accompanied at all times by an adult, and are encouraged to stay in patient rooms.
Patients may have up to two support persons at a time for labor, delivery, and postpartum care in the hospital. The support person(s) can come and go on the unit. Support persons will be screened each time they enter the unit. There will be no limit to the total number of visitors during the hospital stay, except for the limitation to 2 at one time.
All visitors will be screened for COVID risk per hospital policy.
For COVID-positive pregnant patients
Birth partner may attend if screen positive (due to contact/exposure or positive test) only if asymptomatic.
Birth partner must stay in the room at all times masked, and will not be able to come and go. If they leave, will not be allowed re-entry.
No other visitor allowed in room.
If the birth partner develops symptoms during the stay, they will be asked to leave.
For COVID-negative pregnant patients
If the birth partner screens positive due to exposure/positive test, and is asymptomatic - pregnant patients should be counseled on risks to her and the newborn, and consider alternative support in labor. However, once counseled, if chooses COVID+ support person, admission will be allowed.
If the support person is COVID-positive (or under investigation for COVID), no other visitors will be allowed.
If your support person becomes symptomatic while on the unit they will be asked to leave and to contact their personal primary care provider. They will not be allowed to return to the unit.
3. Inpatient Psychiatry
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
No restrictions to the number of visitors per day however we may limit the number of visitors at one time to maintain social distancing.
Guardians are allowed to visit the child at any time.
We will not unreasonably limit the length of time of a visit.
Adult and Geriatric Psychiatry
No restrictions to the number of visitors per day however we may limit the number of visitors at one time to maintain social distancing.
Visiting hours will be between 10 am - 8 pm.
We will not unreasonably limit the length of time of a visit.