Maui Memorial Medical Center reinstates allowance of regular visitors

Maui Health is once again allowing regular visitors for Maui Memorial Medical Center patients, effective today, Monday Feb. 28, 2022.

Hospital spokesperson Tracy Dallarda said the reinstatement of regular visitors comes as Maui Health continues to review hospital processes and protocols “to ensure they remain aligned with patient and family needs, and in consideration of the sustained reduction in COVID-19 positivity rates throughout Maui County.”

All eligible visitors, ages 12 years and older, regardless of vaccination status, will be allowed entry into Maui Memorial Medical Center for visitation, according to the update. Children 12 years of age and older must be accompanied by an adult. Visitation is restricted to one visitor, per patient, per day, for a maximum of two hours a day, during the hours of 12-6 p.m. Some units and/or patients may be closed to visitors at certain times.

MMMC issued the following guidelines:

All visitors will be screened at the hospital entrance for temperature and any signs or symptoms consistent with a virus. 

• Visitors will be provided a mask, and it must be worn at all times while in the facility; this includes during their visit in the patient’s room.
• Masks are to be worn over both the nose and mouth.
• No removal of masks is allowed; this includes refraining from eating while in the hospital.
• Visitors must limit their movement to a direct path to and from the person they are visiting.
• Security at the entrance will provide the visitor with a visitor badge specific to the room and bed that they are visiting.
• The badge must be worn so that staff can easily validate if they are authorized to be in the facility.
• Aggressive behavior and violence will not be tolerated. Should anyone, including visitors, become verbally/physically abusive in any way, hospital security and/or Maui Police Department will be called and, if warranted, criminal charges will be pursued.

Special Circumstances

• COVID-19 positive patients remain on restricted visitation status; visitation is only allowed if there are significant changes in condition or end of life compassion care.  These situations will need to be communicated by the unit charge nurse to security to provide entry for visitors. Visitors are not to exceed two.
• Women in labor are permitted one designated visitor for their entire stay. The patient may also designate a midwife or doula to be present during labor and through the delivery in addition to their one visitor. The specific midwife or doula will be indicated in the plan of care. Women in labor and their visitors may enter at either the Main Lobby or the ER/PCI entrance.
• Pediatric patients may have one parent or guardian with them at all times.
• Patients with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990: reasonable modifications to the visitation policy will be made to allow for support person visitation to patient needs and coordinated with the clinical team.
• Procedural/surgical patients may have one support person accompany them to Ambulatory Care Services and return to meet the patient when they are ready for discharge. They will exit the building during the procedure and recovery. The patients in the ACS area may designate family/support person(s) to receive text notification of their procedure progress.
• Outpatients may have one support person accompany them to the treatment area and return to meet the patient when they are ready for discharge. They will exit the building during the treatment.
• End of life and significant changes in condition may have visitors not to exceed two. These situations will need to be communicated by the unit charge nurse to security to provide entry for the visitors. 
• Behavioral health and emergency department will continue to not allow visitors unless clinically indicated. Each request will be evaluated for appropriateness.

“We understand the important role that loved ones play in the health and well-being, plan of care, and healing process for our patients, and we thank you for your understanding and patience throughout this pandemic,” said Dallarda.

For more information on Maui Health, visit www.mauihealth.org. 

Kaiser Permanente also announced an updated visitor policy.

As COVD-19 cases and positivity rates continue to decline across the state Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi is updating the visitor policy for Neighbor Island ambulatory facilities.

As of Tuesday March 1, 2022, medical office buildings and clinics on Maui, Kauaʻi and Hawaiʻi Island will now allow one visitor per patient. 

Visitor policy exceptions may be granted by the Clinic Manager for parents without childcare accommodations, or those with ADA needs. A mask must be worn at all times while in the medical facilities.

View the full Kaiser Permanente Hawaii COVID-19 visitor policy at  kp.org/covid.