Visitor policy

While it is safe to come to any Sharp facility for your medical needs, we have implemented the following visitor policies at our hospitals to protect those who are most vulnerable and comply with state-mandated guidelines.

Requests for a support person to assist a patient during their hospital stay and anyone visiting must be approved in advance. Please talk to your loved one's nurse to coordinate.

Support people serve as an advocate for the patient and help the patient decrease their anxiety, understand their treatment plan and make decisions about their care.

• Support people must be at least 18 years old.

• Support people are allowed for all inpatient units and for patients with mental, physical, intellectual and/or developmental disabilities and patients with cognitive impairments.

• One support person may be allowed to stay 24 hours/day. In semi-private rooms, the support person must be the same gender identity as the room occupants if approved to stay overnight to support patient needs.

• If allowed, a second support person may be present, typically 1-2 hours between 8 am to 8 pm.

• Children 12 and older are allowed and must be accompanied by an adult at all times. They are only allowed on units that allow 2 support people per room and must comply with masking and other safety measures.

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

• Have no symptoms of illness (including respiratory illness)

• Understand screening may be required prior to entry

• Perform hand hygiene upon arrival, in the patient room and when leaving the room

• Wear approved face covering as directed

Guidelines for specific patient areas:

• Emergency department patients: 1 to 2 designated support people at a time, per day allowed only for patients at end of life; patients with physical, intellectual, and/or developmental disabilities or cognitive impairments; or patients younger than 18. All patients are allowed 1 support person. The support person may not be allowed in the emergency department lobby, semi-private or high-risk areas.

• ICU patients: 1 to 2 support people/visitors at a time, per day depending on ability to socially distance (up to 2 support people for a private room and 1 person for a semi-private room)

• Surgical patients (outpatient and inpatient): 1 to 2 support people at a time, per day depending on ability to socially distance (up to 2 support people for a private room and 1 person for a semi-private room)

• All other inpatient areas: 1 to 2 support people/visitors at a time, per day depending on ability to socially distance (up to 2 support people for a private room and 1 person for a semi-private room)

• Sharp Mesa Vista behavioral health: 1 to 2 adults are allowed to visit an adolescent patient; 1 adult is allowed for all other patients; visitation hours at 10 am to 8 pm daily

• Women's services: Visitation hours are 7 am to 10 pm. 3 designated support people may visit at the same time, 24 hours/day. However, due to space limitations at Sharp Chula Vista, 3 support people are allowed but must visit the patient one at a time (not together).

• 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 and distancing allows. 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, the support people must remain in the patient's room but should wear a mask at all times.

• Sharp Chula Vista NICU: 2 support people with wristbands are allowed plus 4 additional visitors. However, only 1 support person and 1 visitor may visit at a time. No children are allowed.

• Sharp Grossmont NICU: 2 support people or visitors with wristband are allowed. Maximum of 2 people at the bedside at a time. The rotation of visitors is up to the discretion of the NICU and based on unit acuity. No children are allowed.

• Sharp Mary Birch: maximum of 3 support people (18 years or older) at a time, per day for laboring patients. Only 1 support person for patient’s outpatient surgery or procedures. Maximum of 3 support people at a time, per day for patients in Maternal Infant Services and Women’s Acute Care Unit. This can include the patient’s children, over the age of 1. One visitor may stay overnight, but the additional 2 support people may only stay during visitation hours (7 am to 10 pm).
  For the Perinatal Special Care Unit, the patients can have 3 support people per day. This can include a maximum of 2 of the patient’s children. If their child is 1 year and older, they will be required to be screened for symptoms and have their immunization records checked. Only the primary support person may stay overnight, all other visitors may only stay during visitation hours (7 am to 10 pm).
  2 parents or guardians and up to 4 designated support people per infant will be allowed in Sharp Mary Birch's NICU during the hospital stay. However, only 3 people are allowed to visit at one time. No one under the age of 18, including siblings, are allowed to visit.

• 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.

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.

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:

• Masks are highly recommended. A mask that covers the nose and mouth is 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 18 years of age.

• For the safety of other patients and our staff, physical distancing from people outside of your immediate household while in our clinics is recommended. Physician discretion should be used and will supersede this guidance.

• Contact your provider for guidance before your visit if you have COVID-19 symptoms.

• If you, your support people or visitors have not performed the COVID-19 self-screening 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.

• 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.

We have transitioned many of our classes and seminars to a virtual experience. Please call us at 1-800-82-SHARP (1-800-827-4277) and select option 2 to learn about webinar offerings. Hospital tours are canceled at this time. Because CPR and advanced resuscitation classes are intended for health care professionals who need their annual recertifications, we are not canceling these important programs.

Since we are unable to offer hospital tours at this time, we have created virtual tours for mothers-to-be who are delivering at Sharp Chula Vista Center for Women & Newborns, Sharp Grossmont Hospital for Women & Newborns and Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns.