Visitor Information

For the safety of our patients and staff, and to lower their likelihood of exposure to any illness including COVID-19, UPMC is temporarily restricting visitors.

While our current visitation guidelines do not apply to facility access of essential health providers and vendors necessary to be on-site for direct patient care or hospital operations, we are recommending they be limited as much as possible, if non-essential. If ever you have any questions or need help, please let us know.

Visitor Restrictions

Beginning the week of May 18, 2020, UPMC hospitals will permit one support person for hospitalized patients who are persons under investigation (PUIs) for COVID-19. Patients must identify their support person, who will help them manage and communicate about their care. Support persons are not considered visitors; they are seen as essential to the patient’s care. In order to keep our patients, staff, and community safe, we are restricting support persons allowed in the hospital. Support persons must wear a mask at all times, and may provide their own.

No support persons allowed in the building for outpatient departments, ambulatory departments, or all Hillman Cancer Center locations., unless deemed medically necessary or patient is under the age of 18.
One support person allowed in the building for inpatient units, departments (surgical, procedural, pediatric outpatient, emergency (adult) patients, and OB and Labor and Delivery Units). Support person must be the same person for the entire stay.
Two support persons allowed in the building for NICU and pediatric units (support persons must be the same two people for the entire stay) and emergency departments (pediatric patients).
Support persons will be pre-screened for illness. Those with a positive screen will not be allowed in the building. Support persons cannot be under the age of 18.

What Is a Patient Support Person?

We are balancing the safety of limiting visitors with knowing that it is important for patients to have both a caring presence and strong support of someone who can help them manage and communicate about their care.
Patients who have strong support often have less anxiety, understand their care better, recover faster, and are better prepared to return home.
To make sure our patients have the support they need, we now think of you, the patients’ visitor, as a Patient Support Person with specific and important duties.

Learn more about a patient support person.

Long-Term Care

UPMC is temporarily restricting visitation at all UPMC Senior Communities long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing, personal care, and assisted and independent living settings, and hospital transitional care units (TCUs). Visitors will be permitted only in special situations, approved by the facility administrator or designated manager. Special situations may include end-of-life visitation and when a visitor is essential for the resident’s emotional well-being and care.

Hospital Screenings

The safety of our patients, staff, and others remains our top priority. All patient support persons must undergo screening of symptoms and a thermal body temperature scan to enter our facilities. They must wear a facemask and a provided support person wristband while inside.

All visitors, patients, and staff are screened upon entry to any UPMC facility, including hospitals, cancer centers, and doctor’s offices. People entering the facility will be asked a series of COVID-19 screening questions. A thermal body temperature also will be taken.

Non-cancer patients, special-approved visitors, and support people are encouraged to wear their own cloth or surgical facemask upon entry and throughout our facilities. All others, including people who do not have their own facemask, should wear a UPMC-provided mask. Staff, patients, visitors, long-term care residents, and non-UPMC providers and vendors must wear masks in all clinical and high-traffic areas.

We encourage you to use FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, and phone calls to virtually visit with loved ones while they are in the hospital. If you need help with this, please let a staff member know.