COVID-19 Resource Center / Visitor Policy
Visitor Policy
Updated on 10/04/22
Stanford Health Care’s visitor policy is in place to help keep our patients and staff as safe as possible during this time.
Stanford Medicine strongly encourages visitors to be fully vaccinated. Visitors must not have any of the following symptoms:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe.
Stanford Health Care does not provide immediate on-site COVID-19 testing. For testing locations, visit COVID-19 Testing or Testing (ca.gov).
Stanford Health Care – ValleyCare maintains an independent visitor policy.
For patients that do not have COVID-19 or have had COVID-19, but have been cleared as no longer infectious:
General:
- May have 2 healthy visitors a day during visiting hours.
- If a healthy visitor is under the age of 18, they may visit when 1 healthy adult is visiting.
At end-of-life:
- Up to 2 visitors can visit together. Check with the unit manager on total number of visitors allowed and for how long.
Under the age of 21, 85 years or older, or needs support (physical, intellectual, cognitive, or developmental disabilities):
- One caregiver may stay with the patient for the duration of the hospital stay.
Note: For patients in a shared (semi-private) room, visiting hours and rules may be different.
For COVID-19 patients:
General:
- May have 1 healthy visitor a day during visiting hours.
- Up to 2 visitors can visit together. Check with the unit manager on total number of visitors allowed and for how long.
Under the age of 21 and age 85 and older:
- One caregiver may stay with the patient for the duration of the hospital stay.
One caregiver is allowed in the pre-surgery area only if the patient:
- Is under age 18.
- Has disabilities (physical, mental, or developmental).
- Is having a baby in the operating room (caregiver is allowed in OR).
- Needs assistance to answer health-related questions.
The care team will discuss when your caregiver is allowed to visit you after your procedure.
Patients coming to clinic visits may bring 1 caregiver with them.
- The caregiver must be healthy and vaccinated or meet current visitor exceptions (i.e. patient is under age 18, has disabilities or at end of life).
- The caregiver may be asked to step outside, if the area becomes too crowded.
Lab and radiology areas may have caregiver limitations due to the space and infection control precautions.
One (1) healthy adult visitor is allowed to be in the Emergency Department (ED) with a patient. Exceptions to this rule are the following:
- Patients at end of life (have less than seven (7) days to live, are on comfort care, or are being discharged to hospice) or deceased will be allowed up to 3 visitors at the same time.
- In and out privileges will be allowed up to 2 times per visit.
- Visitors can switch out up to 2 times per visit.
- Any exceptions or exclusions not covered in this policy are made by the ED charge nurse and the manager on call.
- Must be healthy and not have any of the symptoms listed above.
- Must wear their visitor badge. The badge must be seen at all times.
- Must wear a mask at all times, including in patient care rooms.
- Must stay in the patient care room and are not allowed to linger in the hallways or at nursing stations. If this occurs, they may be asked to leave the ED.
- Must follow staff instructions regarding personal protective equipment, hand hygiene, and infection prevention provided by the primary care nurse.
- May not eat or drink in the patient room.
- May use the cafeteria during open hours.
- Must be 18+ years old and asymptomatic.
Virtual visits are a good way to support your loved one.
Call Guest Services for help at 650-498-3333.
Visitor Rules
Visiting hours: 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.
All entrants must be healthy and not have any of the symptoms listed above. Be prepared to show identification and give contact information at the hospital entry.
Go directly to the patients room. Please do not stay in hallways or waiting areas.
Note: For patients in a shared (semi-private) room, visiting hours and rules may be different.
Wear your mask at all times.
Stay 6 feet from others.
Use hand sanitizer when you enter and leave the patient's room.
Do not eat or drink in patient rooms.
We want to support you and your loved ones at the end of life. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) can spread easily and we want to keep you and our staff safe. To support you, staff and your loved ones we have developed some guidelines we ask you to follow. These restrictions are modeled from policies at other health organizations, as well as guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California State Department of Health.
A visit to a loved one with COVID-19 at end-of-life will put you at a higher risk of disease but these risks can be mitigated by following the steps outlined below. If you have any questions, please talk to the nurse taking care of your loved one.
- Talk to your loved one’s nurse about approval to enter the hospital. All visitors entering the hospital must be pre-approved and healthy.
- The number of people allowed in the room at any one time will be limited.
- The amount of time you can stay will also be limited as the longer a visitor spends with an individual who has COVID-19, the greater the risk of getting the virus.
- Once you are outside of the hospital room you will need to work with a nurse to put on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including a gown, gloves, eye protection and a new mask. You must wash your hands or use alcohol sanitizer upon entering and leaving the room and hospital to prevent the spread of disease.
- Although death is a time to support each other with compassion, due to the possibility of transmission, visitors should not hug or physically comfort patients or other family members. The outside of the PPE can become contaminated and could spread disease. Please reserve personal contact among family for only after PPE is taken off, a new mask is on, and hands are washed.
- Once you are in the room you must stay there until you call for a nurse to help you leave or you are asked to leave because a nurse or doctor needs to provide care. Follow the lead of the health care team. There is no food or drink allowed in the room and you will not be able to go in and out of the room or hospital.
- When you leave, a nurse will help you take off the PPE and put on a clean mask. You must immediately exit the hospital after leaving the room.
If you are not able to be in the room or at the bedside we do have ways to connect you through private video or phone calls. The nurse can help or you can call Guest Services at 650-498-3333.