Patient and visitor guidelines: What you need to know for your next visit

Providing safe, remarkable care for our patients and families is always our priority. Thank you for partnering with us to take extra precautions to ensure everyone's safety.

Overview

General policies

If you are positive for COVID-19 within 10 days (or 20 days for immunocompromised patients) of an in-person appointment, contact your clinic to discuss your upcoming visit.

All patients and visitors to UW Health clinic and hospital locations are required to answer screening questions regarding COVID-19.

Mask guidelines

Face coverings

Masks are required at many UW Health clinics and hospitals. Barrier masks are required in UW Health locations considered to be high risk based on the patient population served and where patients have compromised immune systems. Patients or visitors with cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms should always wear a mask. Cloth masks or masks with valves are not allowed.

Barrier masks

  • Provide a higher level of protection than face coverings

  • They prevent respiratory droplets that are in the air from entering your mouth and nose

  • They stop your respiratory droplets from reaching other people

Patients who arrive where masks are required will be provided a barrier mask to wear. In addition, the mask must cover both the nose and mouth and be worn the entire time. Patients who are not able to tolerate wearing a mask over the mouth and nose should contact their health care provider by phone or through MyChart. Immunocompromised patients should consider wearing a tight-fitting mask like a KN95 or N95.

Illinois

Ambulatory clinics/settings

Masks are required at the:

  • UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center Rockford for staff, providers, patients and visitors for all direct patient interaction

  • Emergency Department and Immediate Care Clinic for staff and providers for all direct patient interactions

Masks are strongly recommended at the:

  • Emergency Department and Immediate Care Clinic for patients and visitors

Inpatient and surgical services areas

Masks are required for staff, providers, patients and visitors in high-risk areas where patients have compromised immune systems, including:

  • 7 West (Oncology section, behind the double doors)

  • Critical Care Unit

  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

All other settings

  • Masks are recommended but not required

Wisconsin

Ambulatory clinics/settings

Masks are required during patient interactions in all ambulatory locations including the waiting rooms, registration areas and exam/procedural rooms. Patient interaction is defined as an intentional interaction, for example, caring for a patient or a conversation that takes place between a patient and clinician, or patient/visitor and other staff members.

Hospital locations

In Wisconsin, within University Hospital, American Family Children’s Hospital and East Madison Hospital masks are required with every patient interaction within a hospital setting including entry to every patient room. Patient interaction is defined as an intentional interaction. For example, caring for a patient or a conversation that takes place between a patient and clinician or patient/visitor and other staff member.

Masks are also required in high-risk hospital areas including:

  • Waiting rooms

  • Exam/procedural rooms

  • Registration/scheduling

  • Patient rooms

Patient and family visitors guides

A nurse smiling, talking to a patient in a hospital bed
Patient and Family Visitor GuideUniversity Hospital and East Madison Hospital
Detailed information about your stay or visit at University Hospital and East Madison Hospital.
A parent holding a baby while the baby looks back over the parent's shoulder
Patient and Family Visitor GuideAmerican Family Children's Hospital
Detailed information about your stay or visit at American Family Children's Hospital.
Flowers in front of the main entrance to Swedish American Hospital
Patient and Family Visitor GuideSwedishAmerican Hospital
Detailed information about your stay or visit at SwedishAmerican Hospital in Rockford, Ill.

Visitor info

Primary support persons and visitors

Our goal is to provide a safe, healing environment. For everyone’s safety, please respect these guidelines.

General guidelines

Primary support persons, visitors and health care decision-makers who are currently experiencing or recently experienced any acute respiratory symptoms, such as a cough or shortness of breath, or diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 10 days are not permitted.

Do not visit if you are experiencing a fever, cough, sore throat or body aches

Visitors under 16 years of age must be supervised at all times by an adult. For adults in the emergency department or hospital, the adult cannot be the patient.

We understand the importance of keeping patients connected with their loved ones while receiving care. To stay connected we encourage patients and families to use phone or video chat with anyone who is unable to visit.

Primary support persons and visitors

Note, the following includes our locations in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Emergency Department

  • 2 visitors

University Hospital, East Madison Hospital and Swedish American Hospital

  • 2 adult visitors

  • No limit on total number of visitors per stay

  • Visiting hours: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily

Women and Children's Hospital

  • All visitors must be assessed at the Security Desk

Urgent or Immediate Care

  • Primary support/visitor number not restricted

Clinic locations

  • Primary support/visitor number not restricted

Additional locations

Note, certain locations have additional visitor policies. If you are visiting one of those locations, please review the details below.

American Family Children's Hospital

2 designated primary support/caregivers allowed with the patient 24/7 within the following guidelines:

  • Primary support/caregiver must be older than 16 years of age

  • Primary support/caregiver will be the only people allowed to sleep overnight at the patient's bedside

Individuals under age 18 visiting American Family Children's Hospital must be accompanied by an adult.

Additional visitors are allowed during hospital visiting hours

Total number of primary support and visitors in the patient room cannot be more than 4 people at a time. Only 2 primary support individuals are allowed in surgical services and procedural areas.

General care units allow siblings of all ages. Intensive Care Units allow siblings 5-years-old and older.

Visiting hours: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Individuals under age 18 visiting American Family Children's Hospital must be accompanied by an adult

  • All visitors must be assessed on entry to the unit

  • 2 visitors, age 18 or older at one time

    • Adult visiting hours

      • Monday–Friday, 7:30–8:30 p.m.

      • Saturday and Sunday, 1–2 p.m.

  • Adolescents/Children visiting hours

    • Monday–Friday, 6–7 p.m.

    • Saturday and Sunday, 3:30–4:30 p.m.

For the safety of our patients, we do not allow family members under the age of 16 in our facility.

All patients are allowed 1 support person.

Guidelines for visitors under 16 years of age

In instances when a 16- or 17-year-old is part of a family/group, they will be counted as a ‘child’ to allow families/groups to stay together.

Children are welcome with an adult during visiting hours only. Exceptions:

  • Breastfeeding infant and end of life situations

  • Individuals 16 years and older may visit without an adult

Children and teens under age 16 do not count towards the total number of adult visitors allowed. In other words, there is no set limit on the number of children who can visit with a supervising adult.*

*If care team members determine that the total number of visitors (including children) is impeding care delivery in any way (i.e., too many bodies in the room interfering with machines and the movements of the care team), care team members can use their discretion to limit the number of children visiting.

Guidelines for visiting a patient in isolation

Limit of 2 visitors at the same time. Follow other designated visitor guidelines above.

Visitors should go directly to the patient's room and remain in the room during the visit, except to use the public restroom.

For everyone's safety, visitors should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and follow all instructions provided.

COVID-19 confirmed patient may only have visitors for end-of-life care, when required legally and/or 1 visitor for 1 hour each day.

Construction updates

Plan your travel

Road and parking lot construction around Madison, Wis. may cause travel delays or route changes and impact your arrival time at certain UW Health clinic or hospital locations. Please allow extra time when planning your appointment.