Excela Health, St. Clair Hospital prohibiting most hospital patient visits to slow coronavirus

Two hospitals in the region are prohibiting people from visiting patients in an effort to to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Excela Health’s new policy took effect Saturday and only allows patients and staff in the inpatient, outpatient or emergency departments of its facilities.

Beginning on Sunday, visitors will not be allowed in St. Clair Hospital in Mt. Lebanon with several exceptions.

Exceptions to Excela’s policy allows one person to visit children, patients with a disability and mothers in labor. Special considerations will be made for emergency care and end-of-life cases, according to Excela.

All visitors will be screened before they enter the building. Hospital employees will take their temperature and ask them a series of questions before allowing them in. Those feeling ill are directed not to enter.

“These are more stringent than what we had in place last week,” Excela spokesman Tom Chakurda said.

Excela previously allowed one adult visitor per patient.

The company operates hospitals in Greensburg, Mt. Pleasant and Latrobe.

At St. Clair Hospital, exceptions to the prohibition against visitors include allowing only one partner in a patient’s room in the Family Birth Center, with the visitor required to remain in the room during their entire stay.

The hospital also will let one parent or guardian visit a patient in the Pediatric Unit, with the same rule that they remain in the room while visiting.

One person also will be allowed to be in the room with a patient who is undergoing outpatient surgery or an invasive procedure and may visit if the patient is admitted to the hospital.

Patients who go to the emergency room for treatment can be accompanied by someone until they reach the intake desk or if they are picking up a patient who has been released. Exceptions will be made for minors and patients having difficulty making decisions.

All visitors who are permitted in the hospital must undergo a health screening to determine if they have a cough, fever, difficulty breathing or have been in contact with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.

Excela and St. Clair Hospital follows Allegheny Health Network, which on Thursday implemented similar restrictions. Visitors are prohibited in most cases at AHN facilities, with up to two allowed for patients in labor, children and those receiving end-of-life care. All visitors will be screened.

As of Saturday afternoon there were four confirmed coronavirus cases in Westmoreland County and 31 in Allegheny County.

One coronavirus-related death in Allegheny County was reported Saturday morning.