Visiting Hours & Policies

Restrictions on Number of Visitors per Patient

As of August 27, 2021, MUSC Health modified its visitation restrictions. Exceptions listed below may be made in cases where supportive care persons are necessary or at the end of life.

MUSC Health's primary goal is the safety of patients, families, and care team members. Care team leaders continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and create new ways to best take care of patients. In addition to direction from the state of South Carolina, MUSC Health closely follows CDC guidelines and is learning in real-time from the experience of other hospitals and state systems around the country as we deal with this virus.

Visitation Policy

In addition to the screening and hand hygiene protocols currently in place, the visitation policy is as follows:

Adult admitted in-patients who are COVID-19 negative or COVID-19 recovered (previously positive but have met criteria for ending isolation)

Two supportive care persons/visitors will be allowed at the bedside at all times.
Supportive care persons are no longer required to be designated. There are no restrictions on the total quantity of people who may visit, as long as no more than two people are at the bedside at a time. However, two parents or guardians may visit simultaneously, regardless of patient age.
At all locations, patients, support care people, and visitors will be required to wear a mask that meets MUSC's standards of protection and isolation.
Should a patient or visitor elect to wear their own mask, it must have two layers of material, fully cover the mouth and nose and fit around the sides of the face. Bandanas with open bottoms, neck-gaiter style face coverings and masks with mesh, holes, or ventilation ports are not considered appropriate.
Should a patient or visitor be determined to be wearing a mask that does not meet MUSC's standards, they will be asked to replace it with one provided by the organization.
Admitted patients are not required to wear a mask while in their room.
Supportive care persons and visitors should wear a mask while in the patient's room except when sleeping.
All care team members are required to wear MUSC-provided masks in all indoor settings. In outdoor settings, masks are required for those without COVID-19 immunity (meaning neither fully vaccinated nor documented personal history of COVID-19 infection) and optional for those with COVID-19 immunity.
COVID-19 positive patients who are expected to die during their current admission may follow modified end of life visitation protocols. For these individuals, more than one visitor may be permitted at a time but will not be able to stay overnight. Visitors must wear PPE and face masks will be substituted for an N95 respirator. These visitors will not utilize common areas of the hospital.
COVID-19 negative patients who are expected to die during their current admission may have more than one visitor at a time. Standard mask protocol applies.

Adult patients who being screened for COVID-19

Some patients are required to have a COVID-19 screening test in order to undergo a procedure, even if no symptoms are present. All patients requiring admission will undergo universal COVID-19 NP testing.
Patients being screened are able to have one supportive care person at a time at the bedside.
If the COVID-19 screening tests are positive, visitation will end and the supportive care person will be asked to leave the hospital.

Adult patients with "hard to clear" or prolonged COVID-19 infection

One designated visitor is permitted for COVID-19 positive patients who have been admitted greater than or equal to 14-days and whose isolation is unlikely to end based on illness severity or the patient's immunosuppressed status.
There will be no overnight visitation for COVID-19 positive patients.
Visitors must be willing to wear PPE. Facemasks will be substituted for an N95 respirator.
These visitors are not permitted in common areas of the hospital such as the cafeteria.

Pregnant patients and patients under the age of 18 who are COVID-19 positive or being tested for COVID-19

One supportive care person is permitted upon admission.
The one supportive care person is allowed to stay overnight.
Infants whose mothers are breastfeeding are encouraged to be present, even if the mother is COVID-19 positive.
For patients who are at the end of life, more than one supportive care person may be permitted at the bedside.

Adult outpatients entering the hospital for appointments, tests, procedures, treatments, etc.

Two supportive care persons will be permitted to accompany the patient to their outpatient procedure or appointment.
Persons must be with the patient at the time of entry.
Two parents or guardians may accompany the patient regardless of patient age.

Ambulatory and perioperative surgery for adult patients

Two supportive care persons may be with the patient at the bedside.
Additional visitors may be approved at the end of life or in other circumstances deemed appropriate.
Patients who are admitted will not be required to wear a mask while in their bed.
The supportive care person will wear a mask at all times, including when in the patient room, except when sleeping.

MUSC Women's Health Ambulatory Locations

For the safety of our patients and care team members, we have COVID-19 appointment restrictions in place. Patients may bring only one support person to an appointment. The support person may be of any age. Patients and support persons (2 years old+) will be expected to wear masks during their visit. You may bring your baby to your six-week postpartum visit.

MUSC Health's primary goal is the safety of patients, families, and care team members. Care team leaders continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic closely and create new ways to take care of patients best. This leads to making decisions, almost hourly, to respond to the challenges and uncertainty resulting from this situation.
In addition to direction from the state of South Carolina, MUSC Health closely follows CDC guidelines, and is learning in real-time from the experience of other hospitals and state systems around the country as we deal with this new virus.