Visitor policy

General guidelines: Sharp hospitals follow a patient-directed visitation approach. Patient-directed visitation puts the patient in charge of who visits them in the hospital. Instead of having one set of rules for everyone, the hospital works with each patient to create a visitation plan that meets their individual needs and wishes. This plan considers:

• The patient's preferences: Who does the patient want to see? How many visitors at a time are comfortable for them?

• The patient's health condition: Are there any medical reasons, such as infection control, that may require certain visitation limitations?

In some situations, visitation may be limited or modified to help protect the health, safety, privacy and well-being of patients, visitors and staff, or to comply with public health guidance and regulatory requirements.

Support person/care partner guidelines: Patients may choose a support person, also known as a care partner, to provide support during their hospital stay. A support person can offer emotional support and encouragement, help reduce anxiety, and assist with communication with family members who can't be present. Depending on the patient's needs and the support person's abilities, they can also participate in direct care with guidance from hospital staff.

• Support people must be at least 18 years old.

• Support people are allowed for all inpatient units.

• Patients with qualifying disabilities may have a care partner present as needed to ensure the patient can fully and equally benefit from hospital services.

• Children are welcome to visit. Children younger than 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. They may only visit units that allow 2 support people per room and must follow all safety measures.

Support people and visitors must follow infection prevention policies and our Code of Conduct:

• Be free of symptoms of illness, including respiratory illness

• Understand screening and metal detection may be required prior to entry

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer when you arrive, before entering a patient's room and when you leave

• Follow staff instructions if you are asked to leave the room for any necessary procedures, at the patient’s request, per nursing discretion or during an emergency. When possible, visitors will be informed of the reason for the request and the approximate time to return

• When not in patient rooms, please wait in designated waiting areas or public spaces, such as the main lobby or cafeteria, and conduct yourself in a manner appropriate for the care environment

• Wear a mask if directed by the care team

Guidelines for specific patient areas:

• Sharp Mesa Vista behavioral health: Check with your specific unit about routine visiting hours — special arrangements can be made by your physician to best meet your visiting needs. Patients may also choose a care partner, such as a family member, friend or loved one for guidance and support during their recovery.

• Women's services: Visitation hours are 7 am to 10 pm. 3 designated support people may visit at the same time, 24 hours/day.

• Maternity patients: Up to 3 support people allowed at a time, per day; a doula may be permitted in addition if prior arrangements have been made. However, a doula may not accompany a patient for scheduled surgeries, including cesarean births, unless the doula is the sole primary support person. If the patient tests positive for COVID-19 or other contagious respiratory illness, the support people must remain in the patient's room but should wear a mask at all times.

• NICU: Up to 3 people may be at the bedside at one time.

  • 2 people with infant identification bands; these individuals must remain the same throughout the stay.

  • Visitors (age 18 and older) and siblings (age 13 and older) must always be accompanied by a banded person.

  • To protect patient privacy, each Sharp Mary Birch NICU location has different hours during which it is closed to parents and visitors.

• Sharp Mary Birch: All visitors will be screened for signs of illness at the reception desk on the first floor. They will be given a visitor sticker each day they visit, which must be worn in a visible place at all times while in the hospital. Visitors are required to discard the sticker at the end of their visit. Please review policies for each unit.

• Sharp Grossmont Hospital behavioral health: Visiting hours are 6:30 to 8 pm, Monday through Friday; and 1 to 4 pm and 6:30 to 8 pm on weekends and holidays. Exceptions to visiting hours must be prearranged and approved by a doctor.

• Sharp Chula Vista Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU)/EmPATH Unit: Visitors are allowed in the intake area of the unit only. Visitors must be older than 16 years old and are limited to one at a time. Due to shorter stays in this area, visitation hours are open 24 hours a day.

For your health and the health of others, it is highly recommended to wear a mask whenever you are not feeling well and in the presence of others.

We understand it's difficult to be unable to visit family and friends in the hospital, so we've set up a process for loved ones to connect via video chat. Virtual visits are encouraged and supported.

If you would like to speak with a loved one at a Sharp hospital, please call the hospital and ask to be connected to a nurse on the patient's floor. Let the nurse know that you would like to set up a video chat. We are supplying tablets for patients to use for video chats, and our nursing staff will provide instructions on how you can connect.

To connect with a loved one who is a patient in a Sharp hospital, consider sending an e-card. Your personalized e-card will be printed at the hospital and hand-delivered to your friend or family member.

We have implemented the following policies when visiting Sharp Rees-Stealy clinics for the health and safety of all. If you have scheduled an in-person visit:

• Contact your provider for guidance before your visit if you have symptoms of measles or respiratory illness.

• A mask that covers your nose and mouth is highly recommended at all times in Sharp Rees-Stealy medical buildings.

• A support person is allowed to accompany a patient to any visit. Additional support people may be considered, if necessary and if our space at our clinic permits. Support person is defined as a family member, caregiver or friend appointed by the patient who is included as a member of the care team and accepts mutually agreed upon patient care responsibilities during and between specific episodes of care. Both parents/guardians may attend appointments of children up to age 18.

• If you, your support people or visitors have not performed the self-screening process before you arrive, please review the symptom list on the sign posted at the entrance. Do not enter the building until you have performed your self-screening.

Please bring a photo ID, proof of insurance, list of current medications (or medication bottles) and, if seeing a pediatrician, immunization record.

We realize this may not be easy for our patients and that some circumstances will warrant exceptions to this policy. Thank you for your understanding.

Please contact your doctor's office before coming to your appointment to find out if there are any new policies in place.

All patients are encouraged to wear a well-fitted mask. For your health and the health of others, it is highly recommended to wear a mask whenever you are not feeling well and in the presence of others.

• Masks are highly recommended for visitors in the following areas: Villa Coronado skilled nursing and subacute units at Sharp Coronado Hospital, transitional care unit at Sharp Grossmont Hospital, and Birch Patrick Convalescent Center at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center.

• Visitors should consider wearing a mask at all times while in the presence of patients in indoor settings (i.e., visiting patient rooms, accompanying patients in treatment/exam rooms, etc.).

• Masks are highly recommended for visitors and patients in spaces such as small meeting places, lobbies, meeting rooms, especially if people are not at least 6 feet apart.

• Masks are highly recommended for visitors and patients during outpatient visits and classes.

• Masks are not required in outdoor settings.

• Exceptions to the mask policy may be made for patients and support persons who have health conditions that prohibit them from wearing a mask. If a patient or support person indicates that they are unable to wear a mask for medical or psychological reasons, reasonable modifications to the mask policy will be offered.

Sharp has classes, events and seminars both in person and online. Many are free of charge. Please visit the classes and events page or call us at 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277) and select option 2 to learn about our offerings

For expectant parents, we have regularly scheduled walk-through tours of each of our prenatal hospitals. For your convenience, virtual tours are also available for Sharp Mary Birch Center for Women & Newborns Chula Vista, Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns Grossmont and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns San Diego.