WakeMed Health and Hospitals has implemented restricted visitation guidelines in an effort to protect patients, visitors and employees from the one of the harshest flu seasons to hit the state in the past decade.

“As health care providers, we have a responsibility to do everything we can to protect our patients from the spread of illness,” said West Lawson, MD, WakeMed chief medical officer. “As a tertiary hospital our patients are more acutely ill than at most health care facilities, and contracting the flu can significantly complicate or delay recovery and discharge. It is necessary for WakeMed to put these guidelines in place to help reduce the risk of infection for patients.”

To help safeguard patients, visitors and employees, the following restrictions apply to all WakeMed patient care facilities:

• No visitors under the age of 18 years of age are permitted without prior approval from a WakeMed health care provider
• Each patient is limited to 2 adult visitors at a time
• WakeMed staff asks all visitors not to visit patients if they are ill. Symptoms of concern include: fever, cough, sneezing, runny nose, sore throat, vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours.
  • WakeMed staff will direct any ill family members or visitors to please return home
  • WakeMed encourages family members and friends that are unable to visit patients due to age or illness to use alternative means of communication including phone, email or social media (Facebook, Skype, etc.).

For more information, visit the WakeMed Flu Resource Center at www.wakemed.org.