LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI)- Starting next week, IU Health Arnett will ease visitor restrictions. Visitors will have to be 18 years of age and older. They will be screened as they enter the building and will be required to wear a face mask provided by the hospital. Only one visitor will be allowed per patient. However, they will not be allowed to see patients who are COVID-19 positive.
Patients in emergency departments, ambulatory surgery centers, outpatient clinics, and medical offices will be allowed visitors on a case by case basis. While IU Health is easing restrictions, Franciscan Health is still waiting to do so.
Patient safety is always our top priority but with that being said we do understand that we want to operate around our values of patient and family center care,” said Brian Weirich Chief Nursing Officer at IU Health Arnett Lafayette. “Patients do heal faster when they are comfortable and under less stress and families can provide that comfort more often than not."
"We just think we need to use our technology to the best of our abilities at this point to allow families to connect with one another in spite of the fact that they can't be physically present," said Dr. Daniel Wickert the Vice President of Medical Affairs at Franciscan Health Lafayette.
Franciscan has changed some of its restrictions recently. Parents can visit their children in the NICU and people can also visit their loved ones if they are at the end of their life. Franciscan doesn't have a date yet for when its restrictions will be lifted. IU Health Arnett will relax their visitor restrictions on Monday, June 15th.