• Our hospitals have numerous safety features to ensure your loved one receives care in a healthy, healing environment, including specialized HVAC systems to redirect air flow and create negative pressure to contain and prevent the spread of pathogens like a virus. MWHC also employs three full-time infection preventionists and trains all caregivers on the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the protection of both our patients and providers. In this challenging, stressful time, the safety of our patients and caregivers remains our highest priority.
• Visiting hours are from noon-8:00 p.m. daily. Try to limit your visit to under two hours.
• Only one designated visitor allowed for the duration of the patient’s stay, except for pediatric patients (please see Pediatric Patients exceptions in the separate section below) and end-of-life visitation. The patient or their legal representative will determine the identified person who can visit the hospital. The visitor will be logged in our patient record system.
• If you are not the patient’s designated visitor, you can contact your loved one over the phone or with a virtual visit on JitsiMeet. The patient’s care team can help set up the virtual visit. (See below for more information.)

Arriving at the Hospital

All visitors are required to comply with our safety checkpoint procedures. If you cannot comply with the following safety measures, you cannot have an in-person visit in the hospital.

1. You will be asked questions about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.
2. You will have your temperature taken with an infrared thermometer.
3. You will be given a visitor badge each day you visit. You must always keep the badge on while in the hospital.
4. Limit the items you bring from home to only essential needs and those that can be cleaned with disinfectant wipes. These include phones, tablets, charger, hearing aids, dentures, and glasses.

During Your Visit

1. You must always wear a mask while in the hospital. Please bring a mask with you. MWHC will supply you with one mask if you do not already have one. Wear your mask securely over your nose and mouth.
2. Practice social distancing while in the facility. You must stay in the patient’s room and cannot accompany them to tests outside of their room.
3. Practice good handwashing while in the hospital.
4. There are limited food options for visitors while in the hospital. If you or the patient orders outside food to be delivered, the person placing the order must coordinate directly with the restaurant to pick up and receive the food at the main entrance of the hospital. The individual making the delivery will not be permitted beyond the entry checkpoint. Security and staff cannot receive the food and deliver to the room. You can remove your mask to eat. If a provider or other staff member enters the room, you must re-apply your mask.

Jitsi Meet Patient and Family Instructions

Jitsi Meet en español

• Only one support person per patient for their entire stay. [Pediatric patients may have both parents accompany them. Please see "Pediatric Patients" below for more information.] The patient or their legal representative will determine the identified person who can visit the hospital. The visitor will be logged in our patient record system.
• Stay in the patient’s treatment room for your entire visit. You cannot accompany them to tests outside of their room.
• Remember to wash your hands, wear your mask, and display your visitor badge.
• If your loved one is admitted to the hospital, you may accompany them to their room during inpatient visiting hours. If they are admitted outside of visiting hours, you must return during visiting hours.

Arriving at the Emergency Department

All visitors are required to comply with our safety checkpoint procedures. If you cannot comply with the following safety measures, you cannot have an in-person visit.

1. You will be asked questions about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.
2. You will have your temperature taken with an infrared thermometer.
3. You will be given a visitor badge. You must always keep the badge on while in the building.
4. Limit the items you bring from home to only essential needs and those that can be cleaned with disinfectant wipes. These include phones, tablets, charger, hearing aids, dentures, and glasses.

During Your Visit

1. You must always wear a mask while in the building. Please bring a mask with you. MWHC will supply you with one mask if you do not already have one. Wear your mask securely over your nose and mouth.
2. Practice social distancing while in the facility. You must stay in the patient’s room and cannot accompany them to tests outside of their room.
3. Practice good handwashing.

Visitation for pediatric patients is limited to the parents of the minor only. Both parents may be in the room with the child. Patients include pediatric patients in the Emergency Department and children in the Pediatric Unit at Mary Washington Hospital. This does NOT apply to the NICU and ILN. Please see NICU below.

Visitors to the Pediatric Unit are not limited to the noon-8:00 p.m. visitation for other inpatient areas of the hospital. Parents are welcome at any time. Please note that you will be screened each time you enter the hospital.

Arriving at the Hospital

All visitors are required to comply with our safety checkpoint procedures. If you cannot comply with the following safety measures, you cannot have an in-person visit in the hospital.

1. You will be asked questions about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.
2. You will have your temperature taken with an infrared thermometer.
3. You will be given a visitor badge each day you visit. You must always keep the badge on while in the hospital.
4. Limit the items you bring from home to only essential needs and those that can be cleaned with disinfectant wipes. These include phones, tablets, charger, hearing aids, dentures, and glasses.

During Your Visit

1. You must always wear a mask while in the hospital. Please bring a mask with you. MWHC will supply you with one mask if you do not already have one. Wear your mask securely over your nose and mouth.
2. Practice social distancing while in the facility. You must stay in the patient’s room and cannot accompany them to tests outside of their room.
3. Practice good handwashing while in the hospital.
4. There are limited food options for visitors while in the hospital. If you or the patient orders outside food to be delivered, the person placing the order must coordinate directly with the restaurant to pick up and receive the food at the main entrance of the hospital. The individual making the delivery will not be permitted beyond the entry checkpoint. Security and staff cannot receive the food and deliver to the room. You can remove your mask to eat. If a provider or other staff member enters the room, you must re-apply your mask.

One designated support person per laboring mother may accompany her during her entire hospital stay. You will be screened each time you enter the hospital.

Arriving at the Hospital

All visitors are required to comply with our safety checkpoint procedures. If you cannot comply with the following safety measures, you cannot have an in-person visit in the hospital.

1. You will be asked questions about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.
2. You will have your temperature taken with an infrared thermometer.
3. You will be given a visitor badge each day you visit. You must always keep the badge on while in the hospital.
4. Limit the items you bring from home to only essential needs and those that can be cleaned with disinfectant wipes. These include phones, tablets, charger, hearing aids, dentures, and glasses.

During Your Visit

1. You must always wear a mask while in the hospital. Please bring a mask with you. MWHC will supply you with one mask if you do not already have one. Wear your mask securely over your nose and mouth.
2. Practice social distancing while in the facility. You must stay in the patient’s room and cannot accompany them to tests outside of their room.
3. Practice good handwashing while in the hospital.
4. There are limited food options for visitors while in the hospital. If you or the patient orders outside food to be delivered, the person placing the order must coordinate directly with the restaurant to pick up and receive the food at the main entrance of the hospital. The individual making the delivery will not be permitted beyond the entry checkpoint. Security and staff cannot receive the food and deliver to the room. You can remove your mask to eat. If a provider or other staff member enters the room, you must re-apply your mask.

Visitation for newborns in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Mary Washington Hospital and Intermediate Level Nursery (ILN) at Stafford Hospital is limited to one parent at a time. Both parents can be authorized visitors, but they must swap out at the checkpoint at the hospital entrance.

Visitors to the NICU and ILN are not limited to the noon-8:00 p.m. visitation for other inpatient areas of the hospital. Parents are welcome at any time. Please note that you will be screened each time you enter the hospital.

Arriving at the Hospital

All visitors are required to comply with our safety checkpoint procedures. If you cannot comply with the following safety measures, you cannot have an in-person visit in the hospital.

1. You will be asked questions about COVID-19 symptoms and exposure.
2. You will have your temperature taken with an infrared thermometer.
3. You will be given a visitor badge each day you visit. You must always keep the badge on while in the hospital.
4. Limit the items you bring from home to only essential needs and those that can be cleaned with disinfectant wipes. These include phones, tablets, charger, hearing aids, dentures, and glasses.

During Your Visit

1. You must always wear a mask while in the hospital. Please bring a mask with you. MWHC will supply you with one mask if you do not already have one. Wear your mask securely over your nose and mouth.
2. Practice social distancing while in the facility. You must stay in the patient’s room and cannot accompany them to tests outside of their room.
3. Practice good handwashing while in the hospital.
4. There are limited food options for visitors while in the hospital. If you or the patient orders outside food to be delivered, the person placing the order must coordinate directly with the restaurant to pick up and receive the food at the main entrance of the hospital. The individual making the delivery will not be permitted beyond the entry checkpoint. Security and staff cannot receive the food and deliver to the room. You can remove your mask to eat. If a provider or other staff member enters the room, you must re-apply your mask.

Some of our outpatient facilities are now allowing one visitor per patient.

Visitation will be allowed during pre-procedural and post-procedural time for the following outpatient procedures​:

• Operating Room - Same Day Surgery, Endoscopy, Inpatient Admissions Post Operation
• Cardiac (Invasive) - Catheterization Lab, Electrophysiology Lab and Catheterization Holding
• Imaging - Interventional Radiology

Once patients have been taken back to the procedure room, our staff will let visitors know if you are allowed to wait in a waiting area or if you'll need to depart the facility until you receive a call that the procedure is complete.

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Visitation is still restricted for the following procedures and locations due to waiting room space constraints:

• Imaging - Non-Interventional Radiology (Bone Density, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultrasound)
• Cardiac (Diagnostic) - Echocardiography, Stress Testing
• Medical Group practices
• Labs
• Snowden at Fredericksburg
• Urgent Care

Exceptions to this policy:

• Patients with a cognitive or mobility* impairment requiring an aide may have that person accompany them to their appointment.
• Pediatric outpatients may have a parent accompany them at all times.

*Please note that a mobility support person may be asked to wait in their car during the patient's appointment to adhere to social distancing guidelines.