Guidelines for Visiting St. Lawrence Health
Effective December 8, 2023: Visitor limitations are in place while flu season is upon us.
- Visitors must be 12 years or older
- No more than two (2) visitors at bedside (parents and caregivers are not counted as visitors.)
- If you have a sore throat, fever, runny nose, cough, or other flu-like symptom, reconsider visiting until you are well.
St. Lawrence Health updated its masking guidance following the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on May 11, 2023. As was the practice before the COVID-19 pandemic, masking may continue in certain high-risk areas, including areas serving immunocompromised patients. Those areas will have signage explaining that masking remains mandatory.
Visitation
- Visiting hours for all SLH hospital inpatient units are:
- Canton-Potsdam Hospital: 9:00am - 8:00pm
- Gouverneur Hospital: 9:00am - 8:00pm
- Massena Hospital: 9:00am - 8:00pm
- Emergency Departments will permit One (1) Visitor with a patient receiving care in the Emergency Department with no restrictions regarding visiting hours.
- Birthing Center allows two support persons (same two from start to discharge) allowed to stay with mom. Allow four visitors per day with only two visiting at a time. Visiting is from 1pm-8pm. No visitors under age 12.
General Guidance
- Patients undergoing same-day procedures may be accompanied to the facility by a companion for pre-procedure (surgery) and post-procedure (surgery). Pediatric patients undergoing procedures may have up to two (2) Support Persons.
- The Visitor must remain masked at all times and must maintain social distancing and hand hygiene as outlined in this policy.
Definitions
Visitor: an individual, 12 years of age or older that is able to visit with a patient within the SLH defined visitation hours. A Visitor may also be defined as a guest, one that makes formal visits of inspection and/or support of services.
Support Person: an individual, 18 years of age or older and are essential to patient care. They include:
- A parent or guardian of a pediatric patient
- A Support Person to a laboring patient
- Care Partner-care partner identified by the patient as the primary individual to be involved in providing care and care decisions
- A person who is medically necessary for the care of a patient including patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD)
- Patients with cognitive impairments including dementia or in imminent end-of-life situations for a patient who is actively dying and death is anticipated within less than 24 hours
