Visitation Policy
St. John’s Episcopal Hospital continues to maintain a commitment to our patients and their loved ones by ensuring we provide the best person centered care experience. We recognize the importance of the human touch and the sense of comfort that visitation brings to our patients and their loved ones.
To help ensure a safe environment for all, visitors will be screened for illness upon entry to the hospital, and are required to wear a mask, and any other necessary personal protective equipment (PPE) for the duration of their visit. This equipment will be provided by the hospital.
Thank you for partnering with us to provide safe and compassionate care to our patients and the communities we serve.
Please note: Any visitor that screens positive at the door will not be allowed entry.
- Patients may now have two visitors per day. Visiting hours are 9:00 am – 8:00 pm daily.
- Visitors must be 18 years or older.
- Visitors will be required to provide their name and contact information and the name of the patient they are visiting.
- Each visitor will undergo a symptom and temperature check upon entering the hospital.
- Visitation will be denied to anyone who reports significant exposure to or symptoms of COVID-19 within 10 days of the visit.
- Thorough hand hygiene must be performed before entering and upon leaving the patient’s room.
- Additional Personal Protective Equipment will be provided on the unit, if indicated.
- Once in the facility, the visitor must remain in the patient’s room throughout the visit, except when requested to leave by the staff.
- Considerations should be made for those patients that have identified a Care Partner. The care team should make accommodations that align with the patient and Care Partner’s preferences.
Visitation in the Emergency Department
- There is no restriction on the time of day. However, only one visitor is allowed at a time.
Visitation in Ambulatory Surgery and PACU
- There is no restriction on the time of day. However, only one visitor is allowed at a time and will be asked to wait in the waiting area.
Visitation in Labor and Delivery, Maternal Child Health and Pediatric Units
- There is no restriction on the time of day.
- Visitors will be limited to two support persons and a doula as identified by the patient.
- Visitors must be greater than 18 years old.
- Any visitor staying longer than 12 hours must be screened again every 12 hours on the unit.
Visitation on Behavioral Health Units
- Behavioral Health visitation will remain in the assigned common rooms as per appropriate safety protocols.
- Patients may have one visitor at a time, with up to two visitors per day.
- Visitors are to be greater than 18 years old.
- Visiting hours for the Behavioral Health Units are as follows:
- Monday – Friday 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- To ensure appropriate social distancing volume of visitors will be limited. A patient can have a visitor for no more than 30 minutes unless given prior approval.
- No more than two patients per unit can have visitors at the same time.
- Visitors will be asked to remain in the lobby until they can be safely accommodated on the unit.
Visitation Exceptions
Visitation Exceptions may be made to arrange visitation outside of scheduled visitation hours under specific circumstances. To arrange a visitation exception please contact the Department of Patient Relations at 718-869-7391.
Care Partners
As a person centered organization, we encourage the presence of any identified care partner or caregiver as preferred by the patient. Please inquire more about our Care Partner program with the primary nurse caring for the patient.
Unable to visit in person?
Call the Patient Relations Department at 718-929-7391 to arrange a video call with a patient.
Service Animal Policy
At Episcopal Health Services, Inc. (EHS) patient safety is our first priority. EHS has an established Service Animal Policy for patients in both the outpatient and inpatient (hospital) setting. Please follow our simple rules when you bring your service animal to our facilities. For more information, please download our Service Animal FAQ (Spanish Version).
What is a Service Animal and are they allowed at EHS?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as an animal (a dog) that has been specifically trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the animal must be directly related to the person’s disability. Yes, Service Animals are permitted at EHS.
What is an Emotional Support Animal and are they allowed at EHS?
These terms are used to describe animals that provide comfort, therapy or companionship and have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, as Service Animals have been. No, Emotional Support or Therapy Animals are not permitted at EHS.
We Ask Because We Care
At Episcopal Health Services, we want to provide you with the highest level of care. To do this, we need to gather information about all the people who get care here.
Information such as your race, preferred language to discuss healthcare, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and gender identity help us understand your unique health needs and enable us to create a care plan specific to you. This information also helps us better understand the needs of our communities seeking healthcare so we can offer services and programs that are helpful to everyone. Click here to learn more.
