Citing the COVID-19 spike, Arizona's largest health system reinstates visitor restrictions

Corrections & Clarifications: Doulas are not allowed to visit laboring mothers at Banner Health facilities. An earlier version of this article was incorrec

Arizona's largest health care system is reinstating visitor restrictions due to exponential increases in COVID-19 cases that could soon overwhelm hospitals across the state.

Effective 6 p.m. Sunday Banner Health locations will no longer allow visitors, with few exceptions, the company announced Friday. The company had the same strict restrictions in place during Arizona's summer surge of COVID-19 but eased the rules as cases dropped in September.

"It's a very tough situation for us to do, but one that we feel that we need to do, and one frankly that most other health care systems will be doing," said Dr. Marjorie Bessel, who is the chief clinical officer for Banner Health. "We all look at the same data and make generally very similar decisions."

The system-wide visitor change follows a decision to reinstate visitor restrictions at Banner's Tucson locations Nov. 18.

Restricting visitors to hospitals is a move that other medical systems across Arizona are taking or considering as upward trends in COVID-19 cases continue.

The Mayo Clinic in Arizona, the Phoenix VA Health Care System, Valleywise Health, Dignity Health and HonorHealth all confirmed this week that they will be once again restricting visitors to varying degrees because of rising COVID-19 cases.

Arizona hospitals could be overwhelmed, within 'weeks'

If the rise of coronavirus transmission in Arizona is not quickly addressed, new COVID-19 cases "will overwhelm our capacity to provide optimal hospital care within a matter of weeks," according to a Nov. 18 report by Joe Gerald, an associate professor at the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health who has been tracking the pandemic’s spread in Arizona for months.

Overall hospital occupancy is approaching summer levels, but the difference is that there's a lower percentage of patients with confirmed or suspected COVID-19.

"While occupancy data suggest Arizona hospitals should be under greater strain, the fact that admissions are dispersed across multiple units, not just Covid-specific units, means the workload is more evenly distributed across physicians, nurses and other health professionals," Gerald wrote.

"As Covid-19 admissions continue to increase, this advantage will be lost."

Phoenix-based Banner Health is forecasting a "significant surge" in hospitalized patients because of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses this winter.

Arizona as of Thursday had reported nearly 290,000 COVID-19 cases and 6,384 deaths statewide. Hospitalizations for patients with confirmed and suspected COVID-19 on Wednesday were at nearly 1,800 — the highest level since Aug. 5. At the state's peak of the pandemic in July, total hospitalizations were at more than 3,000.

Bessel acknowledged that restricting visitors from hospitals is hard on patients, their families and on health providers. But she says it's what the health system must do to keep everyone safe.

"The numbers have gone up significantly in the last two weeks and of course we're very concerned about that," Bessel said.

"We're having a significant increase. It looks like we're on an exponential component of the growth curve right now. I expect that our numbers are going to significantly increase here."

Restrictions may differ by hospital

At Banner Health, there are four exceptions to the visitor restrictions:

• Pediatric patients (under the age of 18) may have one guardian or support individual with them.
• Laboring mothers may have one support person with them.
• Persons with disabilities who, due to the specifics of the disability, require assistance from someone in order to effectively participate in the health care process will be allowed to designate a support person to accompany them while in any Banner facility.
• End of life visitations will be accommodated.

Other hospitals and health care systems have slightly different rules, so it's helpful to check the facility's website or call ahead.

Valleywise Health in Phoenix will begin visitor restrictions Monday, prohibiting visitors with some exceptions, including for pediatric, laboring, and postpartum patients, as well as for vulnerable patients and end-of-life situations, which will be on a case-by-case basis.

At Valleywise health centers, one visitor will be allowed in exam rooms per patient if necessary to assist with mobility or instructions and individuals accompanying patients will not be allowed to wait in waiting rooms.

Dignity Health began its visitor restrictions on Thursday, allowing one adult visitor per patient for non-COVID-19 patients, with slight variations in hours depending on the facility.

Scottsdale-based HonorHealth will move to highest "restricted visitation" level on Monday, which means no general visitation will be allowed. Mayo Clinic in Arizona also plans closing to visitors on Monday.

The Phoenix VA Health Care System will stop in-person visits to its inpatient units on Saturday, with some exceptions for end-of-life cases, a news release from the health system says. The VA is advising veterans to go to medical appointments alone unless they need help from a caregiver.

Hospitals say they will continue to evaluate and adjust visitation policies as needed. Tucson Medical Center has not completely restricted visitors but the hospital did modify visiting hours to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"We want to allow visitors as long as we can because they are such an important part of healing for our patients," spokesperson Angela Pittenger wrote in an email. "However, we are monitoring this and reevaluating daily."

Reach health care reporter Stephanie Innes at Stephanie.Innes@gannett.com or at 602-444-8369. Follow her on Twitter @stephanieinnes

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