Section 250.250  Visiting Rules

a)         Each hospital shall establish, in the interest of the patient, policies regarding visitation on the various services and departments of the hospital.  It is recommended that visitors be limited to two per patient at any one time.

b)         In times of increased incidence of communicable disease in the community, the hospital should consult with the local health officer regarding further restriction of visitors.

c)         Hospitals shall implement and comply with Section 3.2 of the Medical Patient Rights Act regarding visitation rights, policies, and procedures. Hospitals shall develop policies and procedures to address visitation when a disaster exists or in the event of an outbreak or epidemic of communicable disease.

d)         No visitor shall knowingly be admitted who has a known infectious disease, who has recently recovered from such a disease, or who has recently had contact with such a disease.

e)         Children

1)         Children under 12 years of age should not be admitted as visitors to the hospital except in the company of a responsible adult.

2)         Children under six years of age should be admitted as visitors only when the hospital has a special family visiting program or when requested in writing by the attending physician or chief executive officer of the hospital.  Visiting facilities other than the patient's room shall be used for children under six years of age, unless that room is a private room.

f)         No lay visitor shall be given access to the operating rooms during surgery, except as provided in Section 250.1305 or Section 250.1860(a).

g)         See Section 250.1830(k) for visiting regulations applicable to maternity departments and newborn nurseries.

h)         Smoking by visitors shall be prohibited except in specially designated outside areas.

i)          No visitors shall be permitted in the postoperative recovery room.

j)          No birds, turtles, dogs, cats, or other animals (exclusive of those required for laboratory purposes or for animal-assisted therapy in accordance with Section 250.890) shall be allowed in a medical facility, except as provided in this subsection (j).  Guide dogs may accompany sightless persons.  When animals are allowed in the hospital, the hospital shall have policies for infection control, sanitation, care of the animals, and any necessary patient screening.  The policies shall be followed and shall comply with the requirements concerning animals in the Department's Food Code.

(Source:  Amended at 47 Ill. Reg. 6477, effective April 27, 2023)