BJC Limits Visitors

BJC HealthCare is putting additional measures in place to protect patients and employees from the transmission of COVID-19. Effective immediately, they are suspending visitation within the BJC facilities. Some exceptions will be allowed for obstetric patients, pediatrics, end-of-life patients, as well as several other types of patients. 

Visitors who meet the exceptions will be screened before entering. Anyone exhibiting signs or symptoms of acute illness, such as fever, will not be permitted entry.  Also those with a recent travel history to an area with community transmission of COVID-19, or recent contact with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 will not be allowed entry to BJC HealthCare facilities.  

DETAILS:

Effective Monday, March 23, BJC HealthCare is suspending visitation within its facilities.

Exceptions will be allowed in the following instances, for designated visitors who remain with the patient at all times (other exceptions will be considered for extraordinary circumstances):

Obstetric patients
Nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) patients
Patients who are at end-of-life
Pediatric patients
Patients with behavioral health, developmental delays or altered mental status for whom a family member or caregiver is integral to their care or safety
Patients with an appointment in a BJC or WUSM outpatient setting, procedural area or in the Emergency Department
Visitors who meet the exceptions will be screened before entering a waiting or patient care area. Children younger than age 16 will not be permitted except under extraordinary circumstances.

Further, no visitors will be allowed who meet any of these criteria:

Signs or symptoms of acute illness (fever, cough, difficulty breathing)
Recent travel (within the last 14 days) from an area with community transmission of COVID-19
Recent contact (within the last 14 days) with someone suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19
*This policy went into effect Saturday at Memorial Hospital in Belleville and Memorial East in Shiloh, IL.