Patient and visitor guidelines (2024)

If you are positive for COVID-19 within 10 days (or 20 days for immunocompromised patients) of an in-person appointment, contact your clinic to discuss your upcoming visit.

All patients and visitors to UW Health clinic and hospital locations are required to answer screening questions regarding COVID-19.

Barrier masks

• Provide a higher level of protection than face coverings

• They prevent respiratory droplets that are in the air from entering your mouth and nose

• They stop your respiratory droplets from reaching other people

Patients who arrive where masks are required will be provided a barrier mask to wear. In addition, the mask must cover both the nose and mouth and be worn the entire time. Patients who are not able to tolerate wearing a mask over the mouth and nose should contact their health care provider by phone or through MyChart. Immunocompromised patients should consider wearing a tight-fitting mask like a KN95 or N95.

Illinois

Ambulatory clinics/settings

Masks are required at the:

• UW Health | Carbone Cancer Center Rockford for staff, providers, patients and visitors for all direct patient interaction
  

Inpatient and surgical services areas

Masks are required for staff, providers, patients and visitors in high-risk areas where patients have compromised immune systems, including:

• 7 West (Oncology section, behind the double doors)

• Critical Care Unit

• Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

All other settings

• Masks are optional in all other settings
  

Wisconsin

Ambulatory clinics/settings

Masks are required for high-risk ambulatory locations including the waiting rooms, registration/scheduling areas and exam/procedural rooms within them:

• Breast Center

• Cancer Clinics

• Chemotherapy Room

• Dialysis

• Emergency Departments

• Infectious Disease Clinic

• Infusion Center

• Johnson Creek Regional Cancer Center

• Gastroenterology Clinic

• Pulmonary Clinic

• Radiation Oncology

• Transplant Clinic

• Rheumatology Clinics

  See Also

  Telehealth Services For PatientsAcademic Medical CenterFinding a UW Health Provider

• Urgent Care

Masks are optional at low-risk ambulatory locations including:

• All clinics not listed as high-risk

• Madison Surgery Center

Hospital settings located within University Hospital, American Family Children’s Hospital and East Madison Hospital

Masks are required with every patient interaction within a hospital setting including entry to every patient room. Patient interaction is defined as an intentional interaction. For example, rendering of care or a conversation that takes place between a patient and clinician or patient/visitor and other staff member.

Masks are also required in high-risk hospital areas including:

• Waiting rooms

• Exam/procedural rooms

• Registration/scheduling

• Patient rooms

Patients may request that care team members wear masks in an area designated as ‘masking optional,’ and staff and providers will honor the request.

Our goal is to provide a safe, healing environment. For everyone’s safety, please respect these guidelines.

General guidelines

Primary support persons, visitors and health care decision-makers who are currently experiencing or recently experienced any acute respiratory symptoms, such as a cough or shortness of breath, or diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 10 days are not permitted.

Do not visit if you are experiencing a fever, cough, sore throat or body aches

Visitors under 16 years of age must be supervised at all times by an adult. For adults in the emergency department or hospital, the adult cannot be the patient.

We understand the importance of keeping patients connected with their loved ones while receiving care. To stay connected we encourage patients and families to use phone or video chat with anyone who is unable to visit.

Primary support persons and visitors

Note, the following includes our locations in Wisconsin and Illinois.

Emergency Department

• 2 visitors

University Hospital, East Madison Hospital and Swedish American Hospital

• 2 adult visitors

• No limit on total number of visitors per stay

• Visiting hours: 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily

Women and Children's Hospital

• All visitors must be assessed at the Security Desk

Urgent or Immediate Care

• Primary support/visitor number not restricted

Clinic locations

• Primary support/visitor number not restricted