Visiting a patient
We are currently limiting visitors within UC Davis Medical Center in order to help keep the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) out of the hospital. This careful decision was made in an effort to protect our patients, staff and community.
Thank you for your understanding. Please see below for more information and options.
Visitor guidelines
All patients may have one visitor who must remain in the room with the patient while visiting. Visitors must have no signs of illness and not have a recently confirmed case of COVID-19. Visitors are allowed between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., under the following guidelines:
- Patients undergoing surgery or procedures may have one visitor.
- Labor and Delivery patients may have one partner and one birth support person.
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients may have one birth parent plus one significant other who must remain in the room for the duration of the visit.
- Pediatric patients may have one loved one who is either a parent or a guardian.
- Patients who are at the end-of-life may have two loved ones visit at one time.
- Patients who have an appointment at a UC Davis hospital-based clinic, laboratory, or radiology, may have one loved one with them.
- In the Emergency Department, patients who are being evaluated may have one loved one with them if they are 18 years or older; patients under the age of 18 may have two legal guardians at the bedside.
- Children under the age of 16 are not allowed at this time.
View our outpatient policy for caregivers at UC Davis Health clinics
Are there restrictions for a visitor entering the hospital?
In any situation, the visitor will be screened before each visit for symptoms of illness, i.e., fever, cough, sore throat, etc. The visitor will be required to wear a mask for the entire visit, and they must remain either in the patient's room or the cafeteria.
Visitors are expected to practice physical distancing and to keep their time in the public spaces brief. The hospital’s information desk in the Pavilion will be given a list of patients who qualify to have visitors.
What are other options besides in-person visiting?
- Call the patient on a cell phone
- Use video calling services like FaceTime or Skype
- Use instant messaging services like Facebook Messenger or Snapchat
- Call the patient’s room through the main hospital switchboard at 916-734-2011.
UC Davis Health can provide an iPad for a patient to video call loved ones (via Zoom or other digital platforms).
Why are you restricting visitors?
Our care philosophy has always emphasized family and loved ones as part of the healing process. However, due to the ongoing community spread of COVID-19 and the local public health emergencies, we must take extra steps to protect our patients, staff, visitors and the community.
The decision to restrict visitors was difficult, and made only after very careful considerations. With schools, houses of worship, and most other gathering places closed or highly restricted to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, hospitals and health clinics are also making public safety the top priority.
Additionally, nearly every patient in the hospital has a high risk of severe complications if they were to be exposed to COVID-19.
What are coronavirus and COVID-19?
Coronavirus are a family of viruses that cause illnesses from the common cold to SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). Symptoms include fever, shortness of breath and other flu-like symptoms. 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19), which was first discovered in Wuhan, China, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).
For more information, please visit our coronavirus information and resources page.
Our goal
Our goal in introducing these visitor restrictions is to protect you, your loved ones, other patients in the hospital and our staff. Patient and public safety are always our top priorities. Thank you again for your understanding during this difficult time.
Updated May 6, 2020