Visitor restrictions remain in place at all Northwestern Medicine inpatient and outpatient facilities. We continue to evaluate restrictions at each Northwestern Medicine facility. Please be sure to check the visitor policy at your local hospital or outpatient clinic.

We understand that coming to a medical appointment alone may cause some concern. To help you feel more comfortable as you prepare for your visit, please review the tips below.

• Patients with inpatient surgeries or procedures undergo thorough testing prior to their arrival. Anyone exhibiting symptoms will be triaged for care or asked to return home.
• Patients and companions entering Northwestern Medicine outpatient departments and clinics will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms at the time of scheduling and when they arrive at their clinical destination.
• Inpatient visitors will be screened for symptoms and have their temperature taken at the hospital entrance.

With the exception of inpatients who are in their hospital rooms, everyone is required to wear a mask while in our facilities. Outpatients must keep their masks on at all times unless requested to remove it, even when a provider is not present in the exam room. If you are unable to wear a mask due to a disability or medical condition, please contact your physician office to schedule a telehealth visit or to discuss a reasonable accommodation.

If you arrive wearing your own mask, we will ask you to replace or cover it with a mask provided by Northwestern Medicine. We will also ask you to remove any gloves you are wearing.

You can learn about guidance for use of masks and how to wear a face mask.

Everyone must maintain a distance of at least six feet from each other unless they are giving or receiving direct patient care.

This policy is supported with:

• Modified seating plans in waiting areas, cafeterias and common spaces.
• The placement of signs in waiting areas to indicate appropriate spacing.
• Restrictions on elevator use. A maximum capacity has been assigned to each elevator. Please allow additional time to get to your destination.

Our Environmental Services teams continue to perform rigorous cleaning of our hospitals and physician offices, and have increased the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting high-touch surfaces.

Hand sanitizer dispensers are available throughout our facilities.