Updated Visitation Policy
Effective: April 1, 2024

Our visitation program is managed by the Office of Patient Experience who can be reached at 305-243-help (4357) or HereToHelp@miami.edu.

The use of masks is no longer required except in some high-risk areas.

We respect all patients, visitors, and staff’s decision to wear a mask, and kindly ask that you continue to wear one if you are experiencing respiratory symptoms.

Please note that all visitors, including minors, must adhere to our existing health and safety protocols, which includes wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) as needed and following proper hygiene. Children must be under parental supervision and always remain in the patient’s room. Should the family need to leave the room, they must wait in the 1st floor main lobby waiting area.

Ambulatory (doctor’s offices) clinic sites including CTUs.
Each patient may have two healthy visitors come with them to their appointment when space permits.
Patients (under the age of 18) may have both parents accompany them to their appointments. Other children will not be allowed to come with the patient to the appointment.

Emergency Department and Oncology Care Clinic
One healthy visitor may come with each patient.
If a patient is placed in a hallway bed, the visitor will be asked to stay in the waiting room due to space and privacy concerns.
Minors 15 years old or younger may not accompany the patient in the Emergency Department.

UHealth Tower Surgical Patients
Only one companion may wait for the patient in the surgical waiting area, two visitors will be allowed when the patient is moved to their inpatient room.

Inpatient visits at UHealth Tower, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center
Visitation on medical, surgical, and oncology floors will be daily from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. except for Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
ICU visitation is 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Visiting hours end at 9:00 pm.
All patients (except ICU) may have one adult visitor stay overnight. All visitors staying overnight with the patient must arrive by 9:00 p.m.
No visitors under the age of 18 may stay overnight unless approved by leadership.
ICU: Patients under the age of 23 are allowed one overnight visitor all other overnight requests must be approved.
Family who are not able to visit in person are welcome to contact the patient using video conferencing (FaceTime, etc.)
Patients who have surgery that day and are not back in their room until after 9:00 p.m. will be allowed two visitors for 30-minutes.

COVID Positive Patients
Same as Inpatient visitation guidelines.
Visitors will be told the risks when visiting COVID-19-positive patients.
The nurse for the patient will help visitors with the proper safety steps and rules and take the visitor to the patient’s room.
Visitors must follow the infection control steps that will be given to them.
Visitors must always wear a mask, eye covering, a gown, and gloves.
Visitors are encouraged to stay in the patient's room during visitation.

Additional accommodations will be provided to patients under the Florida Senate Bill 988, No Patient Left Alone Act (2022) if in-person visitation is suspended or restricted during a declared disaster or public health emergency.
Listed below are the University of Miami Health System guidelines that would be followed if in-person visits were stopped or limited because of COVID-19 or other health conditions.
Based on the rules at the time, visitation would be granted in end-of-life situations.
In the case of a patient who was living with their family before being cared for in the hospital and is having a difficult time being in the hospital without having in-person family support. The number of visitors allowed and visiting hours would be given to the family based on the rules at the time.
Based on the rules at the time, visitation would be granted for a patient who is making one or more major medical decisions.
Based on the rules at the time, visitation would be granted for a patient who is experiencing emotional distress or grieving the loss of a friend or family member who recently died.
Based on the rules at the time, visitation would be granted for a patient who has had a family member or caregiver to help them want to eat or drink and could improve with visits from the family or caregiver.
Based on the rules at the time, visitation would be granted for a patient who used to talk with others is no longer speaking as much.
Based on the rules at the time, visitation would be granted for patients who are children. Patients can identify one person who is a family member, friend, or guardian as an essential (needed) caregiver. The hospital must allow in-person visitation by the essential caregiver for at least two hours daily in addition to any other visitation authorized by the doctor.

UHealth has the right to limit visitation for any reason related to infection control or if a visitor cannot follow the policy.