Updated May 4, 2023

Patient safety is alway our top priority. To help keep viruses and infectious illnesses out of UC Davis Medical Center, we have specific policies for guests of our patients to follow.

Guests of patients are allowed if they meet the criteria in our visitor policy below. The policy applies to inpatient and outpatient services within the UC Davis Medical Center hospital building, and also to the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center. It applies for both adult and pediatric patients.

Some of our care services may also have additional policies about the number of guests allowed. Their policies are also listed below. Examples include our Emergency Department, our birth center, our surgery services, the NICU and PICU, and our outpatient or “ambulatory” care facilities. 

All of our guest policies are subject to change at any time. Changes may not be listed on this website. Please follow any instructions given by our staff. 

Thank you for your understanding! Please see below for more information and options.

1. All hospital and emergency department guests are required to check in prior to entering

Guests visiting the hospital or emergency department must check in at the Guest Relations desk prior to visiting.  General visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

2. Masks are available

Patients and essential caregivers are no longer required to wear face masks during their clinic appointment and in waiting areas. However, masks will remain available to patients, visitors, and employees who want to wear them.  

  • If a patient is coughing or sneezing, that person may be asked to wear a face mask while waiting and during their visit. 
  • If the caregiver or loved one accompanying the patient has signs of illness (such as runny nose, sneezing, fever, chills, coughing, etc.), that person should wait for the patient at home or in a vehicle outside the clinic.  
  • If a patient or guest requests for their health care providers or care team members to wear masks, they will do so. Please ask.

3. Guests who are ill, or have symptoms of illness, are not allowed

In all cases, guests of patients are only allowed if they do not have symptoms of illness (such as fever, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath).

4. Special policies for visiting COVID-positive patients

Sometimes guests may be limited for COVID-positive patients during the quarantine period. For example, see the specific circumstances listed below:

  • Two guests are allowed to visit adult patients (including patients who are COVID-positive) in the hospital, and will be able to rotate with other family members or friends. There is not a limit on the number of guests who can visit; however, only two guests per patient will be allowed inside the hospital at a time.
  • Adult COVID-positive patients at the end of life, or having physical, intellectual, cognitive and/or developmental disabilities, may have one support person (who is determined essential to care or deemed medically necessary), stay and quarantine with the patient, so long as the support person does not leave the room.
  • For pediatric COVID-positive patients, two asymptomatic parents/legal guardians may stay and quarantine in the patient’s room, so long as the parent/guardian has no more than mild COVID-19 symptoms. If a parent/guardian does leave the room, they can no longer stay with the child. (Meals will be provided.)
    Patients in the NICU: If parents/guardians are COVID-positive or have any symptoms of illness, they are not permitted to enter the NICU. One caregiver will be able to visit, as long as they are not from the same household with the COVID-positive parents/guardians.
  • Obstetrical/Postpartum and Labor and Delivery COVID-positive patients may have one support person stay and quarantine with the patient, so long as the support person does not leave the room.
  • Visitors for COVID-positive patients may be restricted at other specific locations or times, such as in the Emergency Department and before or after surgery. Please follow the specific policies for the unit you are visiting, and check with staff if you have any questions.

Guests entering an isolation room (including patients who are COVID-positive) will be instructed about the appropriate use of personal protective gear such as gowns, gloves, masks and/or goggles. Guests are required to wear this gear as instructed by our staff. 

Note: These policies are subject to change at any time.

5. The number of guests allowed per patient is limited

The number of guests can vary based on location. See below.

Two guests are allowed to visit a patient in the hospital, and guests will be able to rotate with other family members or friends. There is not a limit on the number of guests who can visit; however, only two guests per patient will be allowed inside the hospital at a time. 

Guests under the age of 16 are generally not permitted to visit.

Note: These policies are subject to change at any time.

  • Emergency Department patients (18 years or older) can have two (2) asymptomatic guests, 24 hours a day, at the bedside.  Guests may rotate 2 at a time; however, they must remain at the bedside.  Guests not at bedside are not able to wait inside the hospital or emergency department waiting rooms.
  • For pediatric patients, a maximum of two (2) asymptomatic guests at the bedside.
  • No guests under the age of 16 are allowed to visit.
  • Patients admitted to North 1 may have guests during normal hospital visiting hours, 9 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of the current visitor policies. These policies are subject to change at any time. 

  • For surgical patients whose guests use the Main Pavilion Surgical Waiting Room (3rd floor) or the Same Day Surgery Waiting Room, each patient may have two adult guests. Rare exceptions may be made to have one guest in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) for a short period of time (10 minutes).
  • For pediatric surgical patients whose guests use the Children’s Surgery Center Surgical Waiting Room (2nd floor), each patient may have two adult guests. Rare exceptions may be made based on the limited ability to have visitors in the Children's Surgery Center's Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) for short periods of time.

In pediatrics units, the PICU and the NICU:

  • Each pediatric patient can have six total guests. This includes parents. Only two guests may be at the bedside at any given time. The names of all six guests must be provided to the unit, which will then be confirmed when the parent or guest checks in each day.  
  • Guests must be 16 years and older.
  • For the PICU and Davis 7 units, parents are allowed to stay in the hospital 24/7. However, space may be limited, and the units are only able to accommodate overnight stays for one parent at the bedside. 
  • Parents of NICU patients may visit 24/7. However, they are not able to sleep at the bedside.
  • COVID-positive patients are allowed guests. However, parents that are COVID-positive and asymptomatic/mildly symptomatic must quarantine in the patient’s room.

Note: These policies are subject to change at any time.

  • Labor and Delivery patients may have up to two support persons/partners, depending on the situation.
  • If desired, one preapproved doula can also be present if prior arrangements have been made with the hospital and the doula follows hospital personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection-control guidelines. View our birth center visitor page for more information. Call the University Birthing Suites at 916-703-3030 to begin the doula preapproval process.

Patients who are at the end of life may have two loved ones at a time at the bedside, and may rotate additional loved ones.

Patients who have an appointment at UC Davis ambulatory clinics, UC Davis Cancer Center, laboratory, or radiology may have one support person with them. There may be some exceptions in limited pediatric situations, or when another person is needed as part of the patient’s care team.

(These facilities usually serve outpatients, but may still be located on the medical center's Sacramento campus).

View our policy for outpatient visitors/guests/caregivers at UC Davis Health clinics

6. Alternatives to in-person visiting

UC Davis Health can provide an iPad for a patient to video call loved ones (via Zoom or other digital platforms).

Visitor resources

A variety of short- and long-term parking options are available for guests of patients.

  • For directions to UC Davis Medical Center, a parking map and a walking map of the hospital's main floor, please visit the Maps and Directions page.
  • Our Parking and Transportation Services department also has a website with information about parking, courtesy shuttles and more. 
  • The free, secure UC Davis Health Find My Way mobile app helps you navigate around UC Davis Medical Center's main inpatient hosptial buildings with simple wayfinding directions.

Cell phone use

Cell phone use is generally allowed except where signs or staff indicate that phones must be turned off. While conversing on a cell phone, you must stay at least three feet away from all medical devices and patients connected to them. When restrictions are in place, the phone function must be fully powered off (not set to vibrate or silent mode), but you may continue to use Wi-Fi in airplane mode. Restrictions may change or be set on a case-by-case basis.

Wireless Internet access

UC Davis Medical Center provides Internet access points at no charge in areas throughout the hospital and nearby buildings for guests who have devices that can receive wireless signals. You will be able to get on the Internet when you are near an access point. Guests are expected to use the wireless access in a legal and responsible manner.

Typically the wireless connection will automatically be detected by your device, or you can connect manually through your device's Wi-Fi settings

ATMs

ATMs are located at the hospital’s west entrance and at the main entrance near the information desk.

Pastoral services and meditation room/chapel

Chaplains are available 24 hours daily to provide pastoral care services and spiritual support to all. To contact a chaplain, call 916-734-3657 (4-3657 on a hospital phone), or call or text pager 916-816-7729 and leave a call-back number.

The Battistella Meditation Room/All-Faith Chapel on the first floor is a quiet place to sit, relax and reflect, and has regular services and events.

Pets and service animals

We recognize the important role pets and service animals have in our lives. Service animals are generally permitted. Visits by pets — all animals other than service animals — are permitted in some instances. There are specific requirements that apply to both service animals and pets. For more information or questions, please ask our staff.

No smoking policy

UC Davis enforces a strict no-smoking policy inside the hospital, its facilities and in all outdoor areas on the Sacramento campus. Read more about alternatives and stop-smoking resources 

Parking

Parking Structure 3 is the main and long-term parking for the hospital, with no time limit. It is located off X Street. Short-term parking is also available in Lot 3, located off X Street next to the traffic circle at the main hospital entrance. Parking is approximately $2 per hour. Guests of patients can purchase a discounted multi-day pass from the attendant.

Brief patient drop-offs and pick-ups are allowed in the driveway at the hospital main entrance. Please be careful of pedestrians, and do not block traffic or leave your vehicle unattended.

For additional information, visit our Maps and Directions page or call our Parking and Transportation Services department at 916-734-2687.

Courtesy shuttle service

UC Davis Health's courtesy shuttle offers convenient, on-site transportation within the medical center campus. Routes connect the hospital with various buildings, parking lots and other locations, including public transportation stops.

Accommodations

For information about nearby hotel accommodations or accessing health-care services at UC Davis, call our Consumer Resource Center from Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 800-2-UCDAVIS (800-282-3284).

Security

Uniformed university police and security personnel are on duty throughout the hospital 24 hours a day.  If you see or hear anything that concerns you, please notify a member of our staff immediately. 

More resources

For additional information on nearby lodging, local restaurants and food delivery options, grocery stores and miscellaneous services click here.