Va maryland health care | veterans affairs

Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more. Before visiting a patient at a VA facility, review these guidelines:　 Call the medical center for

specific ward visiting hours and information. BALTIMORE VA MEDICAL CENTER AND LOCH RAVEN VA MEDICAL CENTER: 410-605-7000, select 0 PERRY POINT VA MEDICAL CENTER: 410-642-2411, select 0

VISITING CHURCH MEMBERS If you’re a member of the religious community, we encourage you to visit patients who belong to your church or religious group. However, you’re NOT allowed to do

general visitation by going from bed to bed, ward to ward, or unit to unit.　 BRINGING FOOD You may bring small amounts of candy, fruit, and other food items if the nursing staff says they

are appropriate for a patient's diet. You may not bring fresh fruit and flowers to patients who are receiving critical care, and you can’t eat or drink in those units. WASHING HANDS You

must follow hand-hygiene policy guidelines, which require you to practice good hand hygiene when you enter and exit patient rooms, and at other times as directed by staff. FOLLOWING

INFECTION-CONTROL GUIDELINES You must follow guidelines on infection-control signs and report to the nurses' station for instructions before you enter a patient's room. STAYING

HOME IF YOU ARE ILL If you have a communicable disease, you won't be allowed to visit patients inside the medical center. PROHIBITED ITEMS You're not allowed to bring weapons,

cameras, or other prohibited items into the medical center, except when you're conducting official business authorized by the Director or their designee. If you have questions about

what qualifies as official business, please contact the facility's Director.　 GIVING PRIVACY Our staff may ask you to leave the room when they’re caring for patients. If a staff member

asks you to leave a patient's room, you may continue your visit in the day room, waiting area, or any other public area of the facility. VISITING SERIOUSLY ILL PATIENTS Relatives and

friends may visit patients who are seriously ill or in hospice care at any time of day, unless the staff doctor says no. VISITING PATIENTS IN RESTRAINTS In general, you won't be allowed

to visit patients who are in restraints. If the treatment team decides that your visit could have a positive effect on the patient, then you may have a supervised visit with the patient

when a staff member removes the restraints. Our staff will document how the patient responds to you and other visitors.　 BRINGING CHILDREN TO VISIT In extreme circumstances, children under

12 may visit with the permission of the physician and the charge nurse. An adult must accompany children at all times. VISITING PSYCHIATRIC UNITS WITH CHILDREN Children under the age of 16

may visit patients in psychiatric units with the doctor’s permission. LIMITING YOUR VISIT Our doctors may limit, restrict, or deny visits for the medical well-being of a patient.  We

apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.  PROHIBITED ITEMS You can't bring weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs into the building.  Because the VA medical center

is federal property, all visitors and bags may be searched.   VA GENERAL VISITATION POLICY The medical center respects the patient's right to make decisions about his or her care,

treatment and services, and to involve the patient's family in care, treatment, and services decisions to the extent permitted by the patient or surrogate decision-maker. 

"Family" is defined as a group of two or more persons united by blood, or adoptive, marital, domestic partnership, or other legal ties. The family may also be a person or persons

not legally related to the individual (such as significant other, friend or caregiver) whom the individual considers to be family. A family member may be the surrogate decision-maker, as

defined in VHA Handbook 1004.02, if authorized to make care decisions for the individual, should he or she lose decision-making capacity or choose to delegate decision making to another. 

The medical center allows a family member, friend or other individual to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of their stay. The medical center allows for the

presence of a support individual of the patient's choice, unless the individual's presence infringes on others’ rights or safety, or is medically or therapeutically

contraindicated. The individual may or may not be the patient's surrogate decision-maker or legally authorized representative.  The hospital prohibits discrimination based on age, race,

ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.