Norton Healthcare lifts some visitor restrictions at hospitals, medical centers

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Norton Healthcare is updating its visitor policy in response to improved COVID-19 infection rates and vaccinations.

In a release, Norton said most patients in isolation — including COVID isolation — may now have one visitor unless the patent is on a ventilator.

"So that means even if somebody has COVID, we're allowing one visitor as long as we're not doing any therapeutic treatments on the patient at that time," said Douglas A. Winkelhake, division president of hospital operations at Norton Healthcare.

Hospitalized adults may now have two visitors during visiting hours at all Norton Healthcare adult-service hospitals and one visitor overnight. Adult patients visiting doctors' offices and outpatient medical centers for appointments may have one visitor. All visitors must be at least 18 years old.

Children may have two visitors to take them to appointments. All visitors must still wear a mask.

“We know that patients and families have struggled with separation during this pandemic,” Winkelhake said. “Hopefully these new guidelines will help everyone, though we know there are still instances in which families may not be able to visit due to treatments that create a situation in which COVID-19 is more likely to be spread.”

The hospital restrictions haven't just affected patients with COVID. Mary Craddock has been at Norton Hospital for two weeks, needing to be on bed rest during her pregnancy. She doesn't have COVID-19, but just being in the hospital she has had to follow the restricted visitor policy in place. She said before the policy was updated, she was only allowed to have one visitor.

"It was hard," she said. "My husband was the only one allowed up here, and he couldn't come but a few times, because he had our kids and the kids weren't allowed."

Craddock has been hospitalized before during a previous pregnancy, but she said not being able to see family and friends this time and been tough.

"I was in here back in 2015 on bed rest, and the experience then wasn't as bad, because I could have obviously any visitors come in," she said. "This time around it's been harder, because my kids can't come in here."

Now that visitor policies are updated, Craddock can have two people in her room with her. She said she's expecting members of her church family to come see her over the weekend.

"The staff's been amazing, and they come in and sit with me sometimes and talk so that's been nice," she said. "At the end of the day, their goal was to make sure everyone was protected, so I understood their rules. But it was still hard some days to deal with."

Cafeterias at Norton medical facilities also have reopened to 60% occupancy and require occupants to be masked when not eating.

Visitors will be asked to receive and wear a visitor's pass while in the hospital. And anyone who is not feeling well is asked not to accompany patients. To read the full visitation policy, click here.