Area Hospitals Start To Ease Up On COVID Restrictions

Area COVID restrictions for hospital visits are starting to ease up.

Lake Regional and MU Health Care say they’ll now allow 2 people at a time to visit those currently at the hospital for non-COVID related treatments.

They are, however, limiting the number of times visitors can exit and return to the building, and masks remain required for everyone despite vaccination status.

You can read more below:

Lake Regional:

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. — Lake Regional Health System has updated its visitor policy. All non-COVID patients may have up to two support people at a time, both at the hospital and in the clinics. For everyone’s safety, Lake Regional asks that visitors limit their re-entries each day.

Masks Still Required

Lake Regional requires all staff, patients and visitors at all Lake Regional facilities to continue to wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status.

More Guidelines

Patients and their visitors may expect the following at Lake Regional Hospital:

• Visiting hours remain 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Visitors must be 18 years or older. Exceptions may be made for children accompanying parents of pediatric patients.

• Visitors must stay in patient rooms/bays; they should not sit in hospital waiting rooms or common areas.

• The cafeteria will remain closed to visitors. Meal arrangements can be made with nursing staff.

• People with colds, sore throats or other symptoms of illness should not visit patients.

• Visitors of inpatients being tested or treated for COVID-19 and end-of-life situations will be managed on a case-by-case basis.

• For Skilled Nursing guidelines, call 573-348-8275 or visit lakeregional.com/visitors.

Complete visitor guidelines are available online at lakeregional.com/visitors.

Lake Regional Health System is committed to your safety. To protect our patients and staff, our facilities are upholding the latest protocols from the CDC. This includes screening everyone who enters our facilities, requiring masks, cleaning thoroughly and often, and social distancing. All seven of our primary care clinics also offer virtual visits. Learn more at lakeregional.com.

MU Health Care:

Masks will continue to be required in all facilities 

COLUMBIA, Mo. (Nov. 5, 2021) ― MU Health Care is relaxing restrictions on hospital and clinic visitors, but masks will still be required.  

Effective Monday, Nov. 8, adult inpatients at University Hospital, Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, Missouri Psychiatric Center and Women’s and Children’s Hospital can have two designated visitors per day. However, no visitors will be permitted for adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19. Pediatric patients diagnosed with COVID-19 can have one parent or guardian visit.   

Visiting hours will be offered each day from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at all facilities except Missouri Psychiatric Center, where the hours are 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. daily.  The parents of pediatric patients can visit at any time. 

All visitors must be at least 16 years old. Missouri Psychiatric Center visitors must be at least 18 years old. Zoom and FaceTime will continue to provide patient access to family and friends who cannot be present. 

“Contact with family and friends is an important part of the healing process,” said Kevin R. Gwin, MU Health Care chief patient experience officer. “We are pleased to get closer to a more typical visitation schedule.” 

Emergency Department patients, those undergoing same-day surgery and testing, and those attending clinic visits will also be allowed two visitors under the changes that take effect Nov. 8. 

For more details about these policies and information regarding COVID-19, visit muhealth.org/coronavirus.  

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About University of Missouri Health Care 

University of Missouri Health Care is an academic health system with a mission to save and improve lives. Caring for patients from each of Missouri’s 114 counties, MU Health Care specialists treat the simplest and most complex medical conditions, discover breakthroughs and train the next generation of doctors to do the same. Committed to collaboration, research and innovation, MU Health Care has more than 6,000 physicians, nurses and health care professionals in over 80 specialties working together to give patients seamless care with the most advanced treatments and safest procedures. Serving more than 240,000 patients each year, MU Health Care facilities include Capital Region Medical Center, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, the Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, Missouri Psychiatric Center, University Hospital, and Women’s and Children’s Hospital, as well as multiple quick care, urgent care, primary care, specialty and affiliate locations. For more information, visit http://muhealth.org.