Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Updates Visitation Guidelines

Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health is committed to the safety and well-being of our patients, employees, and community. LG Health recognizes the importance of family visitation and the role it has in the patient’s healing process. This is also true for patients who require hospitalization for treatment of COVID-19.

As a result, LG Health has updated the visitation policy at Lancaster General Hospital and Women & Babies Hospital, effective Monday, Nov. 22. These changes will include allowing limited visitation for COVID-19 positive inpatients, which previously was not permitted.

A summary of the updates to the visitation policy are:

• If a hospitalized patient tests positive for COVID-19, or are suspected of having COVID-19, one designated care companion may visit the patient each day for the duration of the patient’s hospital stay and must follow all hospital safety guidelines.
• Visitation for COVID-19 positive patients is 3 – 7 p.m. daily. The care companion should be fully vaccinated, or COVID-19 recovered, and must remain in the patient’s room the entire visit. Companions must remain in hospital-approved personal protective equipment (PPE) at all times while visiting in the patient’s room.
• Hospitalized patients who are not COVID-19-positive may designate two care companions who will be permitted to visit during their hospital stay. Previous policy allowed for one care companion).
• Member of the clergy will once again be permitted to visit hospitalized patients. All COVID-19 protocols will apply.

Health screenings will continue to be required at all entrances. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health will continue to evaluate and update the visitation policy in consultation with our Infection Control team and with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the state Department of Health.

Additional information regarding the changes to the visitation policy may be found at LGHealth.org.