Flu outbreak prompts hospital policy change
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Published: November 10, 2009
BENNINGTON – Southwestern Vermont Medical Center is temporarily changing its visitor policy starting on Wednesday in response to the widespread presence of H1N1 influenza strain, also known as swine flu, in the area.
Under the new policy, patients are restricted to two visitors at a time and visiting hours will be restricted to 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. The hospital will not allow visits from anyone who is 18 or younger.
Adults coming to the hospital for outpatient services are not allowed to have children accompanying them.
All visitors must enter through the hospital's main entrance.
Eileen Druckenmiller, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said the hospital had been much more flexible in the number of visitors allowed and in setting visitor hours before H1N1 had become so widespread.
Hospital administrators have already contacted primary care providers to ask them to inform patients about the changes to the visitation policies. Special efforts have been made to reach expectant mothers as they're the most likely to receive visitors and they're in the group with a high risk of becoming seriously ill from H1N1, Druckenmiller said.
When the visitor policy returns to normal, the hospital will inform the community, according to Druckenmiller.
The changes to the policy do not apply to anyone 18 or younger who is coming to the hospital for treatment.
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