For Immediate Release
8 December 2021
Media Contact: Gerianne Smart, Manager, Marketing & Public Relations
802-777.7610 gmsmart@rrmc.org
Rutland Regional Medical Center Restricts Visitors to Combat COVID
RUTLAND – Starting December 9, Rutland Regional Medical Center will restrict visitors in order to protect patients from rising COVID cases in the community. Adult inpatients will not be allowed to have visitors; a few patients, such as laboring mothers, will be allowed to one designated Essential Support Person per patient for the duration of the patient’s stay.
“Restricting visitation is an important tool in protecting our patients from COVID while they are in the hospital,” said Claudio Fort, the hospital’s president and CEO. “It’s not a decision we take lightly because we know that limiting visitors is hard on patients and their families. At this moment, though, COVID poses too great a risk to our patients.”
In addition to restricting patient visitation, the hospital also is restricting the use of its food court to staff and patients and their support persons.
In general, the restrictions include the following:
- Adult inpatients are not permitted to have visitors.
- Patients with unique needs may have one designated Essential Support Person (ESP) when it is essential to their care, for example patients at the end of life, labor and delivery patients and patients with disabilities.
- Pediatric patients are limited to two parents or guardians to support them during their stay.
- Except for the clinics that treat pediatric patients or dependents, children are not allowed as visitors.
- Patients in outpatient departments (such as imaging or infusion) may have only one visitor or ESP who may accompany them as far as Outpatient Registration.
- Surgical patients may have a support person escort the patient to the department and return following the surgery to receive discharge instructions.
- Patients may access the RRMC Pharmacy and Financial Counseling department.
- All visitors and ESPs must remain in their patients’ rooms and wear masks at all times, even when in a patient room with the door closed.
- With the exception of specific clinical situations, COVID-positive visitors are not allowed.
Fort said that hospital leaders are uncertain when the policy will be relaxed, but expect it to remain in place through the holidays.
“The overarching theme is protecting our patients,” Fort added. “As a hospital this is our number one priority, so as long as COVID remains at high levels in our community, we expect to maintain this level of protection.”
Fort added that community members can help reduce the level of COVID-19 in the community by taking simple precautions such as getting the COVID-19 vaccine and a booster, wearing a mask when indoors, and limiting gatherings during holidays.
“We know what strategies work to contain COVID: vaccinations, masking, and social distancing,” he said. “We just have to buckle down and do them again.”
