Eastern Washington (Spokane & Stevens County)

Last updated: April 10, 2024

Visitor Restrictions at Our Hospitals and Clinics

The safety and wellbeing of our community is our top priority. To ensure caregivers, patients and visitors are safe, we have a policy for visitors entering our hospitals and Providence Medical Group clinics in Spokane Stevens counties. Pleaser review our visitor policy before coming to the hospital and clinic. 

• Visiting hours are restricted to 8 a. m. – 8 p. m. at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, Holy Family Hospital, Mount Carmel Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Providence St. Luke's Rehabilitation Medical Center, with exceptions to our Pediatric, NICU, and Labor and Delivery units which do not have restricted hours. 
• Access Control will continue to check in all visitors and outpatients where there are designated stations. In facilities without designated stations the units will manage visitors. 
• Inpatients who are not in isolation precautions (COVID, tuberculosis, etc.) may have two visitors at a time in the patient’s room. Please note, additional visitors will not be allowed in the unit until the current visitors have exited the room.
• Visitors under 18 are allowed in the Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and Women’s Health Center. If accompanied by an adult, the child is not counted as one of the two visitors. 
• Visitors under the age of 18 are not allowed in adult critical care units.
• Inpatients who are in isolation precautions (COVID, tuberculosis, etc.) may have two visitors per day. The visitors must wear full PPE provided by the hospital (under 18 not allowed except through the exception process below).

All exceptions must be granted by a nursing director or administrator on call. 

ALL visitors, advocates, parents and visitors who meet the above criteria must also comply with the following instructions: 

• All visitors will check in at a screening desk and get a visitor pass.
• Visitors must follow staff instructions regarding masking, hand washing and use of personal protective equipment. 
• Be respectful: No aggressive behavior will be tolerated. No guns or weapons are allowed on hospital campus. 

General exceptions to the above hospital visitor policy include the following: 

• Patients who are at end of life. 
• Patients who require language interpretation unable to be met by the tele-translator. 

Clergy Members 

Providence recognizes members of the clergy as part of the care team and are allowed to visit with patients at any time, including outside regular visitation hours. Clergy does not count as a patient’s daily visitor. Clergy members are required to be screened when they enter.   

Unit-specific guidelines: 

Children’s Hospital admissions and pediatric patients   

• Pediatric patients may have 2 adult visitors, one visitor must wear a wrist band. 
• Visitors under the age of 18 are allowed if accompanied by an adult, the child is not counted as one of the two visitors. 
• Clubhouse is open with limited availability please call 509-474-2850
• No siblings allowed in NICU

Adult Critical Care

• Visitors under 18 are not allowed in these units

Adult Critical Care (Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center only)

• Two visitors at a time
• No visitors under the age of 18.
• Visitors are welcome 24 hours a day. However, between the hours of 7 a. m. - 9 a. m. and 7 p. m. and 9 p. m. only the patient's designated care partner may remain in the room. The care partner is someone requested by the patient or the designated decision maker for the patient. Please note, our entrance hours have been updated. Visitors coming afterhours will need to use the entrance through the parking garage of the Providence Sacred Heart Children's Hospital.

Labor and Delivery Patients

• All laboring inpatients may have 1 adult person and 1 visitor during labor and birth process.  
• 1 banded plus 2 visitors, total of 4 (includes birthing person)
• A certified doula is considered part of treatment team; however, the doula must leave two hours after delivery.  
• Visitors under 18 are allowed if accompanied by an adult.

Antepartum

• Post Partum patients may have 2 visitors who are banded and two visitors at a time.

Mother Baby (Post Partum) Patients 

• Post Partum patients may have 2 visitors (incudes birthing person) who are banded and two visitors at a time, one which is banded.
• Siblings of the baby do not count as a visitor.

Emergency Department  

• Emergency Department patients may have two visitors for non-isolation patients. 
• For isolation patients, patients may have one visitor at a time in full PPE. 

Outpatient Clinics  

• Clinic, laboratory, or radiology patients who have appointments at the hospital or clinics, may have two people escorting a patient. 

Surgical/Procedural Areas  

• Surgical or procedural patients who are arriving to the hospital may have two support/escort people.  

Please note: This guidance cannot anticipate every situation. The hospital administrative supervisor and/or administrator on call may make exceptions to it based on the realities of a given situation, using their best judgment to protect patients and caregivers, acting out of compassion for those involved. 

Entry into Our Facilities

Visitors will check in at the screening desk prior to entering and receive a visitor pass which they will visibly wear during the entire time of visit or appointment. 

Open entrances at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital:

• The main entrance is open 4:45 a. m. - 8 p. m. Monday – Friday, and 7 a. m. – 8 p. m. on Saturday and Sunday.
• The Children’s Hospital garage (Star elevators) is open Monday - Friday, 5 a. m. - 8 p. m.
• L2 valet is open 5 a. m.- 8 p. m.
• Emergency department entrance is open 24/7 and is the ONLY hospital entrance open after hours. 

Open entrances at Providence Holy Family Hospital:

• The south entrance is open 7 a. m. – 8 p. m. Monday – Friday, and 8 a. m. – 8 p. m. Saturday and Sunday.
• The north entrance/Inland Imaging entrance is open 7 a. m. – 7 p. m.
• Use the emergency department entrance when the south and north entrance are closed.

Open entrances at Providence St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Medical Center: 

• One entrance is available at the main entrance of the Medical Office Building & Hospital at 715 S. Cowley. Doors will be open 7 a. m. – 6 p. m. on weekdays and 8 a. m. – 5 p. m. on weekends.

Open Entrances at Providence Mount Carmel Hospital:

• All patients who haven't been given special instructions should use the main entrance. After hours, patients will need to request entrance using the call button. 

Open Entrances at Providence St. Joseph's Hospital

• The main and emergency department entrances are open 6:45 a. m. – 4:35 p. m. Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.
• During afterhours and weekends, patients will be granted entry through the emergency department.

Stevens County Clinics

Providence Northeast Washington Medical Group is doing everything possible to maintain a safe environment at their clinics in Colville, Chewelah and Kettle Falls. All patients are being screened upon arrival to minimize possible coronavirus exposure to patients and caregivers. Patients who do not have acute respiratory symptoms should feel safe to come in for their regular appointments.

Patients who do have acute respiratory symptoms should call (509) 684-3701 to be directed to the proper location for further evaluation and treatment.

Information about masking in our hospitals and clinics

Hospitals

Patients

• Masking is highly recommended when another person is in their room or is providing care, as well as when the patient is out of their room, such as in the hallway or when in a waiting area. 

• Masking will be required if the patient is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, or for 10 days after testing positive.

Visitors

• Hospitals: Masking is highly recommended for those entering a patient's room, during interactions with caregivers, and in waiting areas. 

  • We will continue passive symptom screening of visitors. Please remember, if you enter a hospital, you are attesting that you do not have COVID or other respiratory illness symptoms. 

  • Visitors exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, or are within 10 days of testing positive for COVID 19 will not be allowed to enter the hospital.

Providence Medical Group Clinics 

Patients

• Masking will be recommended but no longer required, unless the patient is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, or for 10 days after testing positive.

Visitors

• Masking will be recommended but no longer required, unless:

  • The visitor is accompanying a patient who is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, suspect of COVID, symptomatic, or 10 days after testing positive.

  •  Asked to wear a mask by the patient.

Note: We may re-institute universal masking if we see high levels of respiratory viruses circulating in the community (e.g., influenza, RSV, COVID).

While the risks associated with COVID-19 may continue to recede, we must be mindful of other infectious diseases circulating in the community and the need to protect our vulnerable populations to the degree possible.