PORTLAND, Maine – Recognizing the importance of visitors to the well-being of patients, Maine Medical Center (MMC) announced on March 15 that it is beginning to ease its visitor restrictions for non-COVID patients.
The changes to the visitor policy that take effect on March 17 include:
- One visitor is allowed daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in inpatient areas, including critical care.
- One person is permitted to accompany an adult patient in the Emergency Department, and pediatric patients may be accompanied by two parents/guardians, provided space is sufficient for social distancing.
- Patients on Palliative Care/Comfort Measures may receive two visitors daily, once per day, at times to be managed by the care team.
- Up to four family members may visit end-of-life patients in all areas, with visit times to be managed by the care team.
Visitors will still not be allowed in areas where patients are being treated for COVID-19, with exceptions for end-of-life.
“We recognize the incredibly important role that family members and care partners play in providing support and comfort for our patients as well as in helping patients through the transition to home or community care,” said MMC President Jeff Sanders. “This update to our visitor policy is designed to strike an appropriate balance, keeping patients, visitors and care team members as safe as possible while recognizing how important visitors are to a patient’s well-being.”
MMC is continuing to screen all care team members, patients and visitors for COVID-19, require masking in its facilities and encourage social distancing and hand hygiene whenever possible.
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About Maine Medical Center
Maine Medical Center (MMC), recognized as a Best Regional Hospital by U.S. News and World Report for 2019-2020, is a complete health care resource for the people of Greater Portland and the entire state, as well as northern New England. Incorporated in 1868, MMC is the state’s largest medical center, licensed for 637 beds and employing more than 9,600 people. MMC's unique role as both a community hospital and a referral center requires an unparalleled depth and breadth of services, including an active educational program and a world-class biomedical research center. As a nonprofit institution, Maine Medical Center provides nearly 23 percent of all the charity care delivered in Maine. MMC is part of the MaineHealth system, a growing family of health care services in northern New England. For more information, visit www.mmc.org.