Visitation Rights

Mary Greeley has a responsibility to provide an atmosphere that supports and promotes patient recovery. Adequate rest is necessary for a rapid recovery. We also recognize the therapeutic role that visitors play in the healing process. Mary Greeley ensures the right of a patient to receive visitors consistent with patient preferences, including, but not limited to, a spouse, a domestic partner (including a same-sex domestic partner), another family member, or a friend. The patient has the right to withdraw or deny his or her consent to receive specific visitors.

Patient visitation rights are subject to Mary Greeley Medical Center’s justified clinical restrictions. Such restrictions may be imposed when it is considered necessary to provide safe care to the patient or other patients. A justified clinical restriction may include, but need not be limited to one or more of the following circumstances:

• There may be infection control issues;
• Visitation may interfere with the care of other patients;
• The hospital is aware that there is an existing court order restricting contact;
• Visitors engage in disruptive, threatening, or violent behavior of any kind;
• The patient or patient’s roommate(s) need privacy;

The patient is undergoing a clinical intervention or procedure and the treating health care professional believes it is in the patient‘s best interest to limit visitation during the clinical intervention or procedure.

Birthways Visitors

For our Birthways unit, we request that all visitors check in at the Birthways front desk. This is to ensure the privacy and security of our patients. We provide a mid-afternoon quiet time from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., during which napping is encouraged. Please consider this when planning a visit.

Visitation Rights for Patients with Disabilities

The Americans With Disabilities Act defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This may include, but not be limited to, altered mental status, physical, intellectual, or cognitive disability, communication barriers or behavioral health concerns, who need assistance due to their disability.

Patients with disabilities may designate at least one support person to accompany them throughout their visit or stay at Mary Greeley Medical Center. 

Patients with disabilities who are hospitalized for more than one day may designate additional support persons. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Ambulatory patients with disabilities may designate one support person who may accompany the patient during an ambulatory visit. All support persons for patients with disabilities will remain with the patient or in a designated waiting area depending on the needs of the patients and the nature of the procedure (e.g., surgery, x-rays, etc.).

A support person may be a family member, personal care assistant, similar disability service provider, or other individual knowledgeable about the management or care of the patient who is authorized to assist the patient in making decisions.

This support person may be required to address such things as:

• Effective communication
• Needs that are not visually apparent to someone who does not know them (e.g., discomfort, hunger, thirst, pain)
• Changes in their symptoms
• Needs related to a history of trauma
• Emotional self-regulation and anxiety management to prevent unnecessary use of physical and chemical restraints

If there are infection control issues, the support person(s) shall comply with all reasonable requirements to minimize the potential spread of infection (MGMC will provide appropriate PPE for the designated support(s)).

If you have questions or concerns, please contact Darla Handsaker, Director of Quality Management, at 515-239-2580 or handsaker@mgmc.com.