AtlantiCare Suspends Visitation Due To Rise In COVID-19 Cases

GALLOWAY, NJ — AtlantiCare announced it is temporarily suspending visitation to its hospital campuses and Satellite Emergency Department due to a rise in COVID-19 cases.

“We appreciate the understanding of our patients and their loved ones as we continue to care for our community through the pandemic,” AtlantiCare said on social media Wednesday.

According to AtlantiCare’s updated visitor guidelines, it is not allowing inpatient, outpatient (surgeries, procedures, tests), or emergency patient visitation at its hospital campuses in Galloway Township and Atlantic City.

Limited exceptions include:

Pediatric/minor patients:

Two parents or guardians are allowed to visit minor patients (under the age of 18) who are admitted to the hospital or have a surgery or other procedure throughout their stay. Minor pediatric patients who are in the Emergency Department may have one designated parent or guardian visit.

Patients with disabilities

Patients with an intellectual, developmental or cognitive disability who are admitted to the hospital, having a same-day outpatient surgery, or being treated in the Emergency Department may have one designated visitor or support person visit 24/7 unless the patient has active COVID-19.

Labor, delivery, and NICU, maternal fetal medicine patients

One designated support person may visit a pregnant patient during labor, delivery and throughout the patient’s postpartum stay. A doula is considered a healthcare provider, unless the patient designates the doula as a support person.

If the mother is discharged and the baby needs to remain on the Mother Baby Unit or in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, one designated parent or guardian may visit the baby 24/7. Maternal Fetal Medicine patients may have one support person accompany them to ultrasound visits.

Patients at the end stage of life: A person at the end stage of life may have two designated adult visitors 24/7 unless the patient has active COVID-19 or another illness for which the care team deems visitation would be a safety risk. COVID-positive patients who are at the end of life may have a one-time, 15-minute visit from two designated adults, regardless of time of day.

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