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Patient-Centered Care

Visitor Information

To ensure a safe environment for the Gila Regional Medical Center patients and visitors, we have updated our patient and visitor policies.

While we understand the important role that family members and visitors play in a patient’s healing process, the new policies aim to balance the needs of patients while maintaining a safe environment for all. Our focus remains on doing what we do best — healing those who are ill and keeping our patients, visitors, and staff safe. Rest assured that we are prepared, our protocols are updated daily, and we have clinical and operational plans in place for the hospitals and clinics.

Visitation Policy

All family and friends are welcome to visit patients at GRMC as set out herein. General visitation hours when the main hospital doors are open to receive visitors are from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

  • All patients, with the patient's consent, have the right to receive visitors designated by the patient, including but not limited to a spouse, domestic partner, another family member, friend, or those individuals designated by legally valid advance directives, durable powers of attorney, health care proxies, or guardianship appointments. The patient may withdraw such consent at any time upon notice to GRMC.
  • The patient's desire regarding who is designated by them to visit shall be followed without restriction or limitation or denial of visitation privileges based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or disability.
  • GRMC shall ensure that all visitors enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with the patient's preferences.
  • All patient-designated visitors shall have permitted access to patients as consented to by the patient regardless of whether they have a legally recognized relationship.
  • Restriction of visitor access will be done based on patient request and as is reasonable and clinically necessary and shall not be based on any of the prohibited classifications set out in this policy; and
  • Patient-designated visitors will be given the opportunity to fully participate, if possible, in planning for the patient's care and treatment as requested by the patient.
  • The number of visitors per room is not restricted but may need to be to support our goal of providing a restful and healing environment for all our patients. Visitors may be asked to leave a patient room or non-public care area when it is clinically necessary when it is requested by the patient when the patient's privacy needs dictate such restrictions if the patient care is being disrupted by the visitation, if the visitor's behavior is disruptive or abusive to the patient or GRMC caregivers or providers, or if the total number of visitors in a room is determined to be disruptive to the care of the patients in the room.
  • Patients and their families will be provided with information about visitation at the time of admission. Caregivers on GRMC nursing units will reinforce the visitation information at the time of admission. Caregivers are also responsible for assuring that a restful environment is maintained for all patients.
  • If a patient chooses to limit visitors, a sign designating such will be put on their door directing visitors to check at the nurse’s station regarding visitation.
  • Visitors shall abide by GRMC policies regarding its tobacco-free campus and shall not smoke or use tobacco on GRMC premises.
  • Visitors shall abide by GRMC policies regarding no weapons or firearms on campus. All weapons should be left at home or inside the visitor's locked vehicle.
  • Visitors who are disruptive to patient care, abusive to patients, other visitors, GRMC caregivers, and providers, or who are observed violating hospital policies as set out in this policy will be asked to leave the premises. Visitors who are observed violating the law will be reported to local law enforcement and will be asked to leave the premises.
  • Visitors spending the night with patients
  • One visitor may spend the night with the patient and must be able to care for themselves. No one under the age 16 will be able to spend the night.

Emergency Room:

  • Visitors may be limited to the primary waiting area except for two (2) family members/friends determined by the ED staff and the family.
  • Visitors may be asked to leave the room while the staff provides care or if the presence of visitors is disruptive to the delivery of care to the patient or the safety of the patient.
  • Children are generally not allowed in the ED rooms where care is being delivered.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU):

  • Visitors in this area may be limited to two (2) family members/friends at a time, that are over 12 years of age. Exceptions will be made at the discretion of the Supervisor/Director. The time that a visitor may visit with a patient is based on the condition of the patient.
  • Visitors may be asked to leave the room while the staff provides care or if the presence of visitors is disruptive to the delivery of care for the safety of the patient.
  • The ICU will be closed to visitation during shift change from 6:45 am to 7:30 am and 6:45 pm to 7:30 pm. If the family wants to visit a patient during shift change, the visit must be planned with the nurse caring for the patient.

Labor and Delivery:

  • Visitors will be allowed in the Labor/Delivery rooms. At the time of admission, the staff will discuss with the patient their desire for visitors during her labor and delivery. The wishes of the patient will be adhered to according to GRMC's general policy of visitors not being disruptive to the delivery of care or the safety of the patient.
  • Visitors that have cleared the screening will be provided a wristband with the date and room number that must be worn during the entire visit.

Cancer Center:

  • All visitors will check in at the front desk when wishing to visit a patient that is in the treatment suite or in one of the extended care rooms.
  • One visitor at a time is allowed for each patient in the treatment suite. Recliners are for patient use only. Stools are for GRMC caregivers only.
  • Visitors may be asked to remain in the waiting room until the patient is brought back, vital signs are taken, intravenous access is established, labs are drawn, etc. Visitors may also be asked to leave the patient's room or GRMC patient care areas during the treatment of the patient.
  • No Children under the age of 18 will be allowed into the treatment suite or extended care rooms except under special circumstances.
  • Only two visitors are allowed in the extended care rooms.

Neonate and Pediatric Admissions:

  • A parent or guardian may be with their children at any time. Parents or guardians are encouraged to always remain with their child 13 years and younger during their stay at GRMC. This information will be obtained at the time of admission and updated upon the parent or guardian's request. The information will be recorded in the patient's chart.
  • When leaving GRMC premises, parents or guardians are requested to leave a telephone number where they can be reached and to keep the staff informed of who will be staying with the patient. Visitors, other than family members, may visit the child according to the regular GRMC visitation policy unless deemed inappropriate by the parent or guardian.

Nursery:

  • The mother, father, guardian, or significant other of the mother must wear the identification bands always provided at the time of delivery during the stay of the newborn at GRMC. In the event of a neonate returning to the Level 2 Nursery from an outside facility, the mother, father, guardian, or significant other of the mother must wear the identification bands for the duration of the neonate's admission.
  • For after-hours visitation, the mother, father, guardian, or significant other of the mother or designee must follow GRMC’s Patient Visitation Policy.

Sleep Study Laboratory:

  • A parent or guardian must accompany patients in the Sleep Study Lab under the age of 18 during the procedure.
  • After hours, 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m., the parent or guardian must check in through admissions to obtain a visitor pass.

Surgical Services:

  • One family member over the age of 18 years old may accompany the patient to the pre-operative area and may return to the recovery area when requested by the recovery staff.

Family/Visitor Support:

  • The designated charge nurse on the unit or house supervisor has the discretion to provide one guest tray per day for a parent or other person identified as a primary caregiver and to request courtesy carts for the visitors who are present for end-of-life care. (GRMC does not have free long-distance telephone service available to patients).
  • In order to comply with HIPAA restrictions relating to the disclosure of a patient's protected health information (PHI), the following procedure will be followed: Upon admission to GRMC, a designated individual will be determined by the nurse caring for the patient, and the patient or, if a patient is unable to consent, the patient's guardian or surrogate decision-maker. The designated individual will be the primary point of contact for the GRMC caregivers and providers. A CODEWORD will be determined and provided to a maximum of three family members or friends. The designated person, CODEWORD, names of individuals with the CODEWORD, and contact numbers will all be documented in the patient's chart. Family and friends calling the hospital for updates on the patient's condition will be asked to provide the appropriate CODEWORD before receiving patient information.
  • GRMC provides social service and discharge services to patients. GRMC will provide additional social service and discharge services to patients and others who are assisting the patient with discharge needs.
  • Visitors may bring specific items of comfort to the hospital for the patient such as pillows and pictures. Visitors will be advised to notify the nurse caring for the patient about the added items as well as any items taken home. The nurse caring for the patient will log these personal items in the patient's personal item list. Items of sentimental value that might be lost are discouraged. GRMC will not be responsible for the loss or damage to any visitor or patient personal item.
  • If Visitors bring in any food or drink items to the patient care areas for patient consumption, such items must be reported and given prior approval by the patient's caregivers and providers so that such items do not delay care or interfere with the current established plan of care for the patient.

Parking

Visitor and outpatient parking is available directly in front of the Visitor's Entrance, the Surgical Center, and Cancer Center.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted at GRMC. We are a Tobacco Free campus.

WiFi available for GRMC Patients and Visitors

Gila Regional Medical Center offers free high-speed wireless Internet access as a courtesy for our patients and our visitors. You will need today's username and password posted on the WiFi signs in the GRMC waiting areas.

Three steps to how to get online:

1. Configure your wireless network card:

  • Disable data encryption (WEP).
  • "Obtain an IP address automatically."
  • "Obtain DNS Server address automatically."

2. Depending on the wireless card or settings, select or enter the SSID or network name of grmcguest (lowercase).

3. Launch your web browser. Review the Terms and Conditions. Access is provided once you indicate agreement by entering today's username and password (see the sign in waiting areas).

Please note: Access to our wireless system is not guaranteed. Users are responsible for knowing how to configure their own computers and equipment. As with all wireless communications, you may encounter areas where a signal is not available.