Maine Medical Center eases restrictions on visitation of non-COVID patients

MMC will allow visitors in adult inpatient units, effective Monday, Feb. 7.

PORTLAND, Maine – Maine Medical Center announced today it would ease some of the visitor restrictions put into place in December in response to the Omicron variant surge. Beginning today, Monday, Feb. 7, adult inpatients will now be allowed one visitor per day for one visit between the hours of 8 am and 8 pm.

A number of visitation safety measures remain as part of the visitor policy including:

• Pediatrics: One parent / guardian allowed per day as patient condition allows.
• Obstetrics: One support person, plus a doula during labor and delivery, as patient condition allows. View additional visitation safety measures specific to The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and the MMC Family Birth Center.
• Emergency Department: One parent / guardian for pediatric patients, provided space is sufficient to achieve compliance with social distancing.
• Ambulatory/Diagnostic areas: No visitors for adult patients are allowed in the waiting room at the Bramhall Campus, unless they travel more than 45 minutes to the hospital, or if there are special needs (determined on an individual basis). Pediatric patients may have one parent or guardian accompany them to the Ambulatory Surgical Unit, and that adult will be given protective eyewear upon arrival, and must wear the eyewear and a mask for the duration of the visit.
• COVID units: No visitors except for compassionate care, to be managed by Care Team.
• Patients Requiring Special Assistance: Patients in any care setting who need help — such as with mobility or communications with the care team about their medical history or care — may be assisted by an adult escort to provide the needed assistance or support. Such necessity will be determined by the care team.
• Exceptions: Exceptions may be made for care plan discussions as arranged by the Care Team or for end of life care.

“Throughout the pandemic, Maine Medical Center has prioritized patient and care team safety while balancing the very important role visitors play in healing when making adjustments to our visitor policy,” said Maine Medical Center President Jeff Sanders. “Now that the Omicron wave is showing signs of receding, we are happy to welcome visitors to our adult inpatient units once again.”

MMC is continuing to require masking in its facilities and encourage social distancing and hand hygiene whenever possible. While MMC does not require visitors to be vaccinated, the hospital strongly recommends everyone who is eligible receive COVID-19 vaccinations and booster shots.

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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.