Carolinas HealthCare System has announced a change in visitation guidelines effective October 1 for all CHS-affiliated hospitals in the greater Charlotte area.
The new policy restricts individuals under 18 years of age from visiting hospitals because of heightened concerns over flu, including H1N1. Visitors under the age of 18 will not be permitted in these facilities unless they are patients seeking medical care, except in extreme circumstances.
The hospitals affected include Carolinas Medical Center (CMC) and Levine Children’s Hospital, CMC-Lincoln, CMC-Mercy, CMC-NorthEast, CMC-Pineville, CMC-Randolph, CMC-Union, CMC-University, Carolinas Rehabilitation, Carolinas Rehabilitation-Mount Holly and Anson Community Hospital.
Dr. Roger Ray, Chief Medical Officer, said the new policy was being implemented to safeguard patients, staff members and adult visitors. He said that children and adolescents are more susceptible to flu and have a higher incidence of flu infection than adults. In addition, children are often contagious before they exhibit symptoms.
Dr. Ray said that Carolinas HealthCare officials conferred with Novant Health and the Mecklenburg County Department of Health, and that all greater Charlotte area hospitals had announced the same procedures and effective dates.
“We know this change may pose an inconvenience to families with patients in our facilities,” Dr. Ray said, “it is important to make this practice effective now to limit the spread and impact of flu. Many of our patients, particularly newborns, pregnant women and those with suppressed immune systems, are especially vulnerable. It is vital that we take every precaution to protect them.”
Dr. Ray said the change will remain in effect until the incidence of flu has significantly decreased, and the policy would be re-evaluated on an ongoing basis.
Carolinas HealthCare is urging everyone over 18 not to visit hospitals if they have flu-like symptoms, such as sore throat, coughing, body ache or fever greater than 100 degrees. They should not go out in the public until they are fever free for at least 24 hours.
Dr. Ray urges everyone to get seasonal flu shots as soon as possible, and to get H1N1 shots when they become available, sometime in October.
“We can prevent flu outbreaks or at least delay their onset until more people have had time to get immunized,” said Dr. Ray. The most important steps are the common-sense precautions: Cover your cough. Wash your hands often. If you have flu-like symptoms, avoid contact with other people and stay home.”
Carolinas HealthCare, he said, has urged all of its affiliated hospitals outside Charlotte to adopt the same policy on visitation; however, the regional facilities are using their own specific guidelines to make determinations, based on local conditions. Carolinas HealthCare System includes 29 affiliated hospitals in North and South Carolina.
