×

Maui Memorial, Kaiser clinics change visitor policies

The Maui News

Maui Memorial Medical Center is now allowing visitors regardless of vaccination status as local medical facilities begin to change their policies amid a decline in COVID-19 cases and the end of county restrictions.

Effective Monday, Maui Health announced that Maui Memorial Medical Center is now allowing regular visitors for patients. All eligible visitors ages 12 and older will be allowed entry, regardless of vaccination status, though anyone ages 12-17 must be accompanied by an adult. Visitation is restricted to one visitor per patient per day, for a maximum of two hours a day, during the hours of 12-6 p.m., though some units and/or patients may be closed to visitors at certain times, Maui Health said.

Visitors will be screened at the hospital entrance for temperature and any signs or symptoms consistent with the virus. They must also follow hospital guidelines, including:

• Wearing the mask provided to them at all times while in the facility, including during their visit in the patient’s room. Masks must be worn over both the nose and the mouth and cannot be removed, meaning that visitors must refrain from eating while in the hospital.

• Limiting their movement to a direct path to and from the person they are visiting.

• Wearing a visitor badge provided by security at the entrance to indicate the room and bed they are visiting so that staff can easily validate if they are authorized to be in the facility.

• Aggressive behavior and violence will not be tolerated. Should anyone, including visitors, become verbally or physically abusive in any way, hospital security and/or the Maui Police Department will be called and, if warranted, criminal charges will be pursued.

Special circumstances include:

• COVID-19-positive patients, who remain on restricted visitation status and can only be seen if there are significant changes in condition or end-of-life compassion care. These situations will need to be communicated by the unit charge nurse to security to provide entry for visitors, who are not to exceed two.

• Women in labor, who are permitted one designated visitor for their entire stay. The patient may also designate a midwife or doula to be present during labor and through the delivery in addition to their one visitor. The specific midwife or doula will be indicated in the plan of care. Women in labor and their visitors may enter at either the main lobby or the emergency room/Pacific Cancer Institute entrance.

• Pediatric patients, who may have one parent or guardian with them at all times.

• Patients with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Reasonable modifications to the visitation policy will be made to allow for support person visitation to patient needs and coordinated with the clinical team.

• Procedural/surgical patients, who may have one support person accompany them to Ambulatory Care Services and return to meet the patient when they are ready for discharge. They will exit the building during the procedure and recovery. The patients in the Ambulatory Care Services area may designate family/support persons to receive text notification of their procedure progress.

• Outpatients, who may have one support person accompany them to the treatment area and return to meet the patient when they are ready for discharge. They will exit the building during the treatment.

• End-of-life and significant changes in condition, which will allow no more than two visitors. These situations will need to be communicated by the unit charge nurse to security to provide entry for the visitors.

• Behavioral health and emergency department, which will continue to not allow visitors unless clinically indicated. Each request will be evaluated.

On Monday, Kaiser Permanente Hawaii also announced that it is updating its visitor policy for Neighbor Island ambulatory facilities.

Starting today, medical office buildings and clinics on Maui, Kauai and Hawaii island will now allow one visitor per patient.

Visitor policy exceptions may be granted by the clinic manager for parents without child care accommodations, or those with ADA needs. A mask must be worn at all times while in the medical facilities.

To view the full policy, visit kp.org/covid.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
     
Support Local Journalism on Maui

Only $99/year

Subscribe Today