Allegheny Health Network is suspending all patient visitation at its hospitals, outpatient clinics and ambulatory surgery centers until further notice, the network announced Thursday.

The health system said the policy, which goes into effect at 7 p.m. Thursday, aims to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus that causes covid-19 and protect the health of patients and caregivers.

“We understand that visitation restrictions are difficult for both our patients and their loved ones, but we hope that everyone understands the gravity of the public health crisis that we are experiencing and that they appreciate that the steps we are taking are in the best interests of everyone at this time,” said Brian Parker, chief quality and learning officer for AHN.

There are four exceptions to the health system’s no-visitation rule. Patients in labor and delivery, neonatal intensive car units, pediatrics and end-of-life care will be allowed two visitors at a time.

Visitors to those areas must be at least 18 and will be screened before entering. They will be asked if they have traveled domestically or internationally in the past 14 days and if they have a cough or fever. Those who answer yes to either question will not be allowed to enter.

Those allowed in will be limited to visits between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Visitors are prohibited at outpatient clinics and ambulatory surgery centers, except those accompanying pediatric patients. Those accompanying adults to an ambulatory surgery center or outpatient clinic will be asked to wait in their cars or some other outside location until they are called to pick up the patient.

Its new academic campus for research and clinical trials is scheduled for completion at AHN’s flagship Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh’s North Side early this year .

AHN serves patients via nine hospitals, among them Allegheny General on Pittsburgh’s North Side and Allegheny Valley Hospital in Harrison, and outpatient offices, urgent care centers, a research institute and various joint ventures in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, New York and Maryland.

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