Visitor Policies

Brigham and Women's Hospital is a patient- and family-focused environment. We understand the need of our patients to have visitors and the need of family and friends to provide support to their loved one while in the hospital. The health and safety of our patients, visitors and staff remains our top priority. Knowing COVID-19 is with us for the foreseeable future, we remain deeply committed to providing the safest possible environment for health care. Learn more about our Safe Care Commitment.

Inpatients

Effective March 14, 2022, patients admitted to the hospital are allowed up to two healthy visitors at a time between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. There are no restrictions on the total number of visitors per day.

Support Persons are considered in addition to the two visitors. If more than two visitors arrive at a time for a patient, they may visit the following available waiting spaces:

• Garden Café, including a patient/visitor distanced dining zone
• 75 Francis Lobby
• Cohn Courtyard Tent
• 45 Francis Lobby
• Connors 1 Lobby
• Alcoves along the Pike, including the one by Thorn
• Shapiro Bridge
• Hale Atrium
• Fish Lobby
• Stoneman Park
• Hale Ground Floor Schlager Lobby

Visitors to patients on Enhanced Respiratory Isolation will:

• Be informed of the risks to their health of visiting.
• Be instructed that if they will maintain a distance of 6 feet from the patient, then no additional PPE is required (aside from a hospital-issued face mask). If they anticipate close contact with the patient, then the visitor will be instructed to don a gown, gloves and eye protection in addition to their mask.
• Visitation during aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) should be avoided when possible.
• Perform hand hygiene frequently, before entry to the room and upon exit from the room.

Labor and Delivery

Patients in Labor and Delivery are allowed two Support Persons with no additional visitors.

Postpartum

Same as inpatient areas, described above.

Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Effective 9/21/22, the NICU visitation policy will now allow for up to 2 additional, Covid negative, asymptomatic visitors at the bedside in addition to one banded caregiver. There can be no more than 3 visitors in total at a newborn's bedside. Strict hand hygiene and masking rules will apply. Any visitor who does not comply with the mask mandate will be asked to leave the unit. All NICU visitors must be age 18 years or older, unless she/he/they is/are the parent of a newborn.

If a visitor tests positive, COVID-19 infection status can be resolved after a minimum of 10 days since the individual’s first positive test (day 0), provided the individual has remained asymptomatic.

If a visitor has been recently exposed they must:

• Fill out the MGB prescreen form
• be a banded caregiver person (not elective visitor)
• be asymptomatic with negative testing
• comply with recommended PPE practices including hospital provided n95 or equivalent. No fit testing will be provided
• May NOT spend any time in common areas [Asymptomatic support persons with known exposure to COVID-19 and who remain within their quarantine period - 10 days - are not permitted to go to any common areas during their visit. That is, they are not permitted in the cafeteria or gift shop, and must exit the facility immediately following the visit.]

Outpatients

Effective October 20, 2022, one patient visitor or support person is preferred in select outpatient areas, however up to two visitors/support people may be allowed. Outpatient areas where two visitors are allowed include office visits.

Some outpatient areas still allow only one patient visitor or support person. These areas include the emergency department, surgical or procedural rooms, or clinics.

Please note that in some situations, we may need to limit visitors to ensure patient and staff safety.

Emergency Department

A single visitor or Support Person is permitted in the Emergency Department to accompany the patient. Visitation may be restricted due to space constraints per local leadership.

Support Persons are:

• Birth partners
• Parents/caregivers of pediatric patients
• Attorneys of patients
• Designated support persons for patients with disabilities. Patients with disabilities include patients with cognitive disabilities, significant mobility limitations, communication barriers, sensory issues or behavioral concerns. Some examples include patients with autism spectrum disorder, genetic disorders, dementia, quadriplegia, visual impairment and deafness.

Visitors under the age of 18

• Visitors under the age of 18 are allowed, provided they can wear a mask for the entire duration of their visit.
• Some visitors under the age of 18 may not require an accompanying adult (for example, an adolescent visitor who travels independently). When an accompanying adult is needed, accommodations to permit the accompanying adult as an additional visitor are at the discretion of local leadership. Please have your loved one speak with a member of their care team in this situation.

Visitor Requests/Exceptions

• Any exceptions to the current visitor policy must be reviewed and approved by Brigham leadership. These decisions are based on clinical reasons. Please contact your provider if you would like to discuss an exception.

Screening of Visitors

Effective Wednesday, Sept. 7, patients and visitors will no longer be screened for COVID-19 symptoms or exposures at the main entrances. Both patients and visitors are strongly encouraged to pre-screen through the Mass General Brigham Prescreen App prior to their visit.

Screening questions must be answered on the same day as the visit. After answering the screening questions, visitors will receive a digital pass on their phone. Learn how to use the app before your visit. The app is available in English and Spanish. Staff can help visitors who need help in other languages.

Prior to entry:

• If a patient has symptoms of respiratory illness, they should let staff know immediately.
• If a visitor has symptoms of respiratory illness, they should delay their visit.
• Patients and visitors must wear a hospital-provided mask, covering both their nose and mouth, regardless of their vaccination status, until they leave the building. The hospital-provided mask may be worn over their own mask or alone.
• Patients and visitors must sanitize their hands upon entry and before putting on a hospital-provided mask.

Staff are available to help you if you need assistance with directions or transportation. You also may use our Maps app to get directions to your destination within the hospital.

Visitor Behavior

Visitors are expected to help keep our hospital a safe place for all patients, visitors and staff by:

• Wearing the provided mask at all times while visiting and making sure it covers both your nose and mouth completely, regardless of vaccination status and including while in patient rooms
• Frequently washing your hands or using the hand sanitizer available
• For inpatients, going directly to the patient's room, keeping your mask on and staying in the room for your entire visit.
• Visitors and Support Persons who are unable to comply may be asked to leave the facility.

Visitor Questions

Family and friends who wish to learn about a patient's status can call 617-732-5500. Immediate family are asked to please identify one primary family member to contact the patient's nurse directly on the unit. Please note that patients have the right to limit access to information and condition.

Please refer to the Mass General Brigham Visitor Policy for additional information.

Thank you for your understanding as we work to maintain the safest possible environment for our Brigham community.