NOVEMBER 9, 2020 – Northfield Hospital + Clinics is tightening visitor restrictions to protect patients and staff as COVID-19 cases rise across the region.

No visitors who are COVID-positive or have any COVID symptoms will be allowed under any circumstances. All persons are screened on entry for symptoms and temperature.

As of Tuesday, November 10, hospital restrictions are:

• Birth Center: Patient may have one support person; it must be the same person for the full stay. Patients may choose their partner or a doula. (A doula is not considered part of the medical team.)

• Emergency Department: No visitors in the waiting room except for children and people with disabilities or dementia. Children and people with disabilities or dementia can be accompanied by one visitor in the waiting room. All other adult patients will be allowed one visitor once the patient is in an exam room. The visitor can wait in their vehicle until the patient is in an exam room.

• Medical/Surgical unit: No visitors are allowed for any patient with COVID; compassionate exemption may be made for a patient at end of life.

These restrictions are consistent with metro hospitals through the Metro Health & Medical Preparedness Coalition.

Hospitalized non-COVID patients continue to be allowed one designated visitor (same visitor for the full hospital stay). Patients of the Cancer Care & Infusion Center continue to be allowed one support person during appointments. Visitors must be symptom-free.

 As of Thursday, Nov. 12, clinic restrictions are:

• NO VISITORS for adult clinic patients

• Pediatric patients may have one parent or guardian

• Patients with disabilities or dementia may have one support person

• Pregnant patients may have one support person for the first OB appointment, and for OB ultrasounds

All visitors must be symptom-free. All persons are screened on entry for symptoms and temperature.

The Long Term Care Center is required to allow scheduled visits as long as there are no cases of COVID among LTCC residents or staff, and Dakota County’s positivity rate is less than 10%. Designated visitors are allowed scheduled visits to the Long Term Care Center at this time. Strict criteria apply.

Deliveries continue to be allowed to the hospital front desk.

NH+C reviews conditions for in-patient elective surgeries

Decisions on elective surgeries will depend on total number of patients in the hospital at the time. NH+C leaders meet daily to determine the number of elective surgeries to schedule for the coming week (on a rolling basis). If you have surgery scheduled and the plan for your surgery changes, NH+C will contact you directly. If your surgery is postponed, your provider and care team will ensure that you have a care plan while you wait for it to be rescheduled. Postponed surgeries will be rescheduled when it is possible to do so.

We are taking these steps to keep surgery safe for all patients. If your surgery is scheduled to take place, it is safe to have it.

NH+C continues to perform urgent and emergent surgeries. Emergency surgery services are available 24/7 at Northfield Hospital.

Systemwide precautions continue at all NH+C locations to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and to care for all patients safely.