Care partner policy (updated December 4, 2024)
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Regardless of vaccination status, medical/surgical masks are recommended in the emergency room. This applies to all employees, visitors and patients.
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Most patients are no longer limited to two care partners. Exception: Only one care partner is permitted for patients in the emergency room.
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Only one care partner may stay overnight. Care partners staying overnight should be 18 or older. Exception: Patients may have up to three care partners at a time, 24/7, in the labor and delivery unit.
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Care partners not staying overnight can be with their loved ones from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily. First-time admittance is not allowed after 8:45 p.m. for care partners not staying overnight. The overnight care partner may arrive after this cut-off for daily visitors.
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Minors are allowed to visit Piedmont Atlanta but must be supervised at all times by an adult other than the patient. In labor and delivery and the family care center, any child visiting under age 12 must be a sibling of the newborn. Exception: Minors, including siblings, are not allowed to visit the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
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All care partners, vendors, delivery drivers, etc., will be asked to provide photo identification when they enter the hospital. A greeter will provide an identification sticker that care partners and other visitors must wear at all times while in the hospital. Patients are not asked to provide photo identification; they receive a blue wristband from greeters.
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Care partners may visit the cafeteria, gift shop, chapel and waiting areas if their identification sticker is visible.
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Food delivery personnel should not deliver food directly to units, departments or offices. All food delivery personnel should use the Building 2 entrance and leave the food on the designated bookshelf near the gift shop in Building 2, whenever possible. If the Building 2 entrance is closed at the time of your food delivery, the alternative is the emergency room turnaround.
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The designated Piedmont Atlanta executive must approve any exceptions to the care partner policy.
Piedmont Atlanta reserves the right to change the Care Partner Policy at any time.
No Patient Left Alone Act
During the 2024 legislative session, the Georgia General Assembly passed the
No Patient Left Alone Act, which was signed into law by Governor Brian Kemp on May 6, 2024, and made effective on July 1, 2024. This legislation establishes visitation rights for individuals admitted to hospitals and long-term care facilities.