An updated visitor’s policy at Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital has been initiated. It follows:

Consistent with our commitment to help prevent further community spread of COVID-19 and to safeguard our colleagues, we are implementing further changes to our visitor policies.  These measures are effective Friday, March 20.   

Visitor Restrictions

No Visitors will be permitted at Pen Bay Medical Center (PBMC) or Waldo County General Hospital (WCGH) in the following circumstances:

• Pediatrics (one parent/guardian at a time allowed in all areas)
• Obstetrics (one spouse/coach allowed in labor and delivery area)
• Day Surgery (one person involved in care)
• End of Life (one visitor at a time for patients likely to expire within 24 hours (all areas)
• Extraordinary circumstances (one person at a time), if presence is necessary for communication with care team or patient support ((e.g., patient with disabilities). The determination may be made only by attending physician or designee, and record in the medical record, if feasible)

• Patient discharges: One person allowed for the purpose of picking up a patient for discharge. 

Visitation at Emergency Department/ Ambulatory settings / Outpatient Procedural Areas:   

One person allowed as an escort, only if the patient requires help with mobility, support or communication with care team, such necessity to be determined by triage or care providers.  Escorts will be encouraged to drop-off patients when possible.  

• For all exceptions permitted above, only one person over the age of 18 may be on the PBMC/WCGH campus to visit/escort/accept discharge of patient.   

Visitor health screenings: All visitors must be screened upon entrance to a facility. Potential visitors will be asked series of screening questions, including whether they have a fever, a new cough in the last 14 days, shortness of breath, a sore throat or a runny nose, or a known exposure to someone with COVID-19. If they answer yes to any, they will be asked to leave.

Visitor protocol: Permitted visitors will be required to both perform hand hygiene prior to entering and upon leaving the patient’s room / care area and to the extent possible asked to remain at least six feet from the patient at all times.  

We recognize that family support is important to our patients, particularity the very young and those facing end-of-life decisions.  This was a difficult decision but we believe this is the best way to protect the health of our patients and care team members.  

About Pen Bay Medical Center 

Pen Bay Medical Center is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit pbmc.org.

About Waldo County General Hospital

Waldo County General Hospital is part of MaineHealth, a not-for-profit integrated health system consisting of eight local hospital systems, a comprehensive behavioral healthcare network, diagnostic services, home health agencies, and more than 1,600 employed and independent physicians working together through an Accountable Care Organization. With more than 19,000 employees, MaineHealth is the largest health system in northern New England and provides preventive care, diagnosis and treatment to 1.1 million residents in Maine and New Hampshire. For more information, please visit wcgh.org.