Starting January 2, 2024, UNC Hospitals, and UNC Health Chatham are implementing temporary age-based visitor restrictions across specific inpatient areas in a bid to reduce potential infection risk during the active respiratory illness season. The new rules, effective from 7 am on the scheduled date, may prove challenging for visitors, particularly children with hospital-bound loved ones. Nevertheless, the Infection Prevention Director at UNC Hospitals, Dr. Emily Sickbert-Bennett, emphasizes their necessity by stating that the decisions were made to ensure patient and staff security, promote healthiness in patients’ surroundings, and facilitate their healing process.
The restrictions will require that visitors under the age of 12 are kept from all inpatient areas and waiting rooms. Furthermore, individuals exhibiting symptoms of respiratory illnesses will also be barred from those areas. The remaining areas within UNC Hospitals will continue to operate under the already established visiting policies. Visitors, regardless of age in decent health, are welcome in lobbies and at retail and food locations. Please note that onsite visitor restrictions and policies degrees can vary depending on UNC Health system hospitals due to place-specific trends and other contributory elements. At present, no additional restrictions are being placed by UNC Health Rex located in Raleigh and Holly Springs.
Prospective hospital visitors are advised to confirm any policy changes by checking the ‘Visitor Policy’ section on the hospital website or directly consulting with the patient’s clinical team. Visitors feeling unwell with symptoms of a respiratory ailment are strongly urged to stay home. Wearing masks is cautiously encouraged for all hospital visitors. Regular assessment of important factors is carried out the Infection Prevention team to determine when to impose or lift visitor restrictions. Updates about lifted restrictions will be shared when available.
UNC Health forms part of the North Carolina system, a state entity and affiliated enterprise. It is made up of over 900 clinics and 19 hospital campuses, including 15 hospitals, and is inherently linked to the patient care programs at the UNC School of Medicine (SOM). In the bid to improve the health of North Carolinians and other served communities, UNC Health also enhances the teaching mission of the UNC SOM. In the fiscal year 2022, the organization funneled over $141 million into Charity Care, totaling $522 million over the past half-decade. They have received several accolades for their exceptional patient care, safety protocols, and overall patient experience.