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Visiting Our Facilities

We are committed to the safety of our patients, visitors, support persons, staff, and community. 

Visitor at Brigham and Women's Hospital

Mass General Brigham understands that visitors and support persons are valuable parts of your health and well-being. The safety of our patients, staff, and community is very important to us. Our updated visitor policy goes is in effect, as of October 20, 2022.

Facility policies

All potential visitors and support persons (including birth partners, parents/caregivers of pediatric patients, attorneys of patients, and designated support persons for patients with disabilities) should review the specific facility's website for the latest policies before attempting to visit. 

All visitors and support persons must meet the requirements below.

Types of visitors to Mass General Brigham facilities

  • Patient visitors are those who come to Mass General Brigham locations to visit or support patients. Patient visitors may also include support persons. Support persons include birth partners, parents/caregivers of patients under 18 years old, attorneys of patients, and designated support persons for patients with disabilities.
  • Essential visitors are those who are not Mass General Brigham employees but come to our facilities to provide essential functions. For example, these include EMS, law enforcement, vendors, and contractors (including private duty nurses), and volunteers.
  • Elective visitors are other non-employee, non-patient visitors. These include people visiting for educational, research, administration, or other purposes, who are hosted by our employees.

Inpatient visitors

Mass General Brigham hospitals will only permit two patient visitors at a time per patient. Support persons are considered in addition to the patient visitors.

Under some circumstances, facilities may need to restrict visits more than the above.

Outpatient visitors

One patient visitor or support person is preferred in select outpatient areas, however up to two visitors/support people may be allowed. Outpatient areas where two visitors are allowed include office visits.

Some outpatient areas still allow only one patient visitor or support person. These areas include the emergency department, surgical or procedural rooms, or clinics.

Please note that in some situations, we may need to limit visitors to ensure patient and staff safety.

All visitors and support persons must meet the requirements below.

Essential or elective visitors

Essential and elective visitors must be up-to-date on their COVID-19 and influenza vaccines to enter Mass General Brigham facilities.

Being up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines includes receipt of all recommended doses in the primary series and one booster when eligible. Getting a second booster is not necessary to be considered up-to-date at this time. Read more from the CDC.

Please note: Emergency Services personnel and Law Enforcement are exempted from the vaccination requirements.

Requirements for all visitors and support persons

  • All visitors and support persons are screened for symptoms of possible COVID-19 infection (fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, chills, muscle aches, or new onset of loss of taste or smell). No individuals with any symptoms are allowed. Visitors and support persons are strongly encouraged to use the Mass General Brigham Prescreen tool on the day of the visit. Or they can complete a screening in person.
  • Visitors who have recently had COVID-19 are not able to visit in the hospital until 10 days have passed from the onset of their symptoms or positive test. Visitors who are on quarantine for an exposure to COVID-19 are not able to visit in the hospital until 10 days have passed from their exposure. This may be different than isolation/quarantine guidelines for the community.
  • All visitors and support persons must wear a facility-issued mask  at all times while in our facilities. Visitors and patients who choose to wear a non-facility issued face mask or other form of source control must wear a facility-issued face mask on top, covering the non-facility issued product. Facilities reserve the right to require visitors or patients to remove any form of source control determined to pose a danger to individuals within the facility. All visitors and support persons must perform hand hygiene upon entry to the facility. 
  • Visitors must wait outside until it is time for their visit.
  • Visitors are not able to eat in patient rooms.
  • Visitors will not be permitted if the visitation poses a significant infection control risk to the patients, visitor, or staff.
  • Visitors who are unable to comply may be asked to leave the facility.

 
Updated October 12, 2022

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