Va northeast ohio 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:　 VISITING HOURS: Call the medical

center for specific ward visiting hours and information. LOUIS STOKES CLEVELAND DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER: 216-791-3800 COVID PROTOCOLS IN PLACE:  * Inpatient visitation

for COVID NEGATIVE patients is limited to the hours of 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.  One (1) visitor permitted per day.  Visitation hour restrictions do not apply to compassionate care situations.  *

No visitation for COVID POSITIVE patients unless in a compassionate care situation. No more than two (2) designated visitors with appropriate COVID-19 precautions and limitations in place

for a ONE-TIME VISIT of 15-minutes each.       * Scheduled visitation for patients and residents in the CLC, LTC SCI AND ACUTE SCI is based on the unit, involves screening procedures and is

subject to change based on community positivity and unit vaccination rates.  Defer to the individual unit for current, specific guidance. Visits must be scheduled at least 48hrs in advance.

Compassionate care situations will still allow visitation when deemed appropriate by the medical team regardless of the unit’s current visitation status. As a measure to ensure the safety of

all involved, antigen testing OF THE VISITOR, prior to visitation is strongly encouraged AND IS AVAILABLE THROUGH VANEOHS. Exceptions may be authorized for visitors under 18 on a

case-by-case basis with prior approval through the patient care team & VANEOHS Incident Command.  * Visitors who screen positive for COVID-19 symptoms or exposures will not be allowed. 

* Companions under the age of 18 are discouraged but are not restricted. 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. (SEE COVID PROTOCOLS) 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. (SEE COVID PROTOCOLS) 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. (SEE COVID PROTOCOLS) 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. (SEE COVID PROTOCOLS) STAYING HOME IF YOU ARE ILL If you have a

communicable disease, you won't be allowed to visit patients inside the medical center. (SEE COVID PROTOCOLS) 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. (SEE COVID PROTOCOLS) 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 Children of all ages can

visit patients at our medical center. For infection-control and safety reasons, however, children under the age of 18 are not allowed to visit certain specialty-care units. All children

under the age of 18 must be directly supervised by an adult. Children's bedside visits are limited to 15 minutes.  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.  SECURITY  The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center police officers provide 24-hour patrols of the facility and parking lots.

For general police assistance, please dial 216-421-3223. Report all suspicious or criminal activity, vehicle accidents, and personal property losses to the VA Police while on the facility

grounds as soon as possible. Because the VA Healthcare System is federal property, all persons and bags are subject to search. In addition, no weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs are

permitted. 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.