Local hospitals implement limited visitation policies

CINCINNATI - Hospitals in southwest Ohio, Northern Kentucky and southeast Indiana are reporting an increase in the number of flu virus cases this season.

Many hospitals located in these areas have implemented limited visitation policies to minimize the spread of respiratory diseases to hospital patients.

The goal of limited visitation is to minimize the spread of respiratory diseases to hospital patients. For the hospitals that are limiting visitors, most are initiating the following restrictions:

• No visitation by anyone who is ill with any respiratory symptoms including coughing, sneezing, runny nose, fever, etc.

• No visitation by anyone under age 14

Hospitals’ decisions about visiting restrictions vary with the types of patients they serve and the specific services provided. For example, hospitals serving special patient populations such as pediatric, burn, transplant or ICU patients may institute more restrictive visitation policies. 

“Winter brings an increase in a number of respiratory illnesses, not just flu,” said Tonda Francis, vice president of the Greater Cincinnati Health Council in a press release Monday. “Although we know it’s difficult for family members and friends to not be able to visit their loved ones in the hospital, we also know visitors wouldn’t want to make their loved ones even sicker than they already are.”

Most area hospitals plan to discontinue visiting restrictions on or about March 15, 2013, unless respiratory illness is still highly prevalent in the Tri-state at that time.