Visitation Policy
On admission or as soon as possible thereafter, Jefferson Healthcare shall inform each patient (or support person, where appropriate) of their visitation rights, including any clinical restriction or limitation on their rights.
Jefferson Healthcare retains its right to restrict patient visitation when necessary for clinical or patient treatment reasons. Jefferson Healthcare shall inform each patient (or support person where necessary), and document any clinically necessary restrictions or limitations on visitation rights, on admission or as soon as the need for such a restriction or limitation arises.
Each patient (or support person, where appropriate) shall be informed of the right, subject to his/her consent, to receive the visitors whom they designate. These visitors may include but are not limited to, a spouse; a state-recognized domestic partner (including same-sex partners), a non-registered domestic partner (including same-sex partners), other family members, or a friend. The patient shall also be informed of their right to withdraw or deny consent at any time.
Jefferson Healthcare shall not limit, restrict, or deny visitation privileges on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
Jefferson Healthcare shall ensure that all visitors designated by the patient (or support person, where appropriate) enjoy full and equal visitation privileges consistent with patient preferences.
Jefferson Healthcare recognizes that should a patient be incapacitated a support person will be required to make decisions on behalf of a patient regarding visitors.
- The support person does not necessarily need to be the person authorized as the surrogate decision-maker for the patient.
- Unless circumstances require otherwise, Jefferson Healthcare shall accept a claim to be a patient support person at face value and shall not request documentation from a person claiming to be a support person.
- Jefferson Healthcare may, when circumstances require, request written documentation of patient representation by a legal document. Examples of when documentation might be required are if there is a conflict between two visitors or if there is a dispute as to who the patient support person is. Hospital shall follow RCW 7.70.065 in resolving conflicts among those claiming to be support persons.
- In no case may Jefferson Healthcare request documentation of status as a patient support person in a way that discriminates on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.