Maui hospital updates visitor policy due to rising COVID-19 positivity rates

The Maui Memorial Medical Center is updating its visitor policy in response to the growing COVID-19 community transmission rate in Maui County, and the increasing positivity rate here and throughout the state.

Effective Sunday, May 22, 2022, the Maui hospital will allow one visitor per patient, per day for a maximum of two hours a day during the hours of 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Maui Health officials note that some units and/or patients may be closed to visitors at certain times.

Earlier this week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention increased the COVID-19 community transmission level in Maui County to “high.”

All counties in the state are now in the “high” category, with the exception of Hawaiʻi Island, which is at the medium community level.

Statewide, there are 7,149 new infections across Hawaiʻi over the course of a week, including 746 cases on Maui, 26 on Molokaʻi, 18 on Lānaʻi, 460 on Kauaʻi, 4,922 on Oʻahu, and 850 on Hawaiʻi Island. There were also 12 additional deaths statewide in the latest weekly report.

In Maui County, the seven day average for new daily cases is 60.6 per 100k; or 101 average over the last seven days. The countyʻs test positivity rate is 16.2%, and the statewide positivity rate is now 16.9%.

The latest data represents an eighth consecutive week of increases in new infections.

Statewide, with data through May 18, there are 126 people hospitalized with COVID-19, including  five COVID-19 patients in the ICU, and three on ventilators. As of 9 a.m. on May 18, 2022, the latest data available, there were 11 individuals hospitalized in Maui County with COVID-19, including one individual in the ICU.

All eligible visitors 12 years of age and older regardless of vaccination status, will be allowed entry into Maui Memorial Medical Center for visitation, according to hospital administrators.  Children 12-17 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

“Although masking mandates have been lifted for most areas of business, including the travel industry, masking is still required for all individuals, including visitors, who enter any Maui Health facility,” according to the Maui Health update.

All visitors will be screened at the hospital entrance for temperature and any signs or symptoms consistent with a virus, according to the update. Maui Health will be implementing the following guidelines in conjunction with the updated visitor policy:

• 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.

Maui Health outlines the following special circumstances regarding visitors at the facility:

• Women in labor are permitted one designated visitor for their entire stay and may also designate a midwife or doula to be present during labor and through the delivery. 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 not allow visitors unless clinically indicated. Each request will be evaluated for appropriateness on a case-by-case basis.

“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 Tracy Dallarda, Maui Health spokesperson.

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