Information for Visitors and Patients

Masking Guidelines at UPMC

Masking is welcome but not required in most health care settings where patient care is provided, including:

• Hospitals.
• Laboratories and testing facilities.
• Outpatient centers and medical buildings.
• Senior living facilities.

Check for Signage About Masking

Be sure to check for signage about masking when you visit a UPMC medical facility. We continue to track the risk of respiratory illnesses, including flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19. If the risk level increases, masking may be required.

People Can Choose to Mask

At UPMC, we support anyone who chooses to wear a mask at any time, and we:

• Have masks available for people who choose to wear them.
• Encourage mask-wearing if it benefits your well-being.
• Wear masks upon a patient’s or loved one’s request when providing care.

Maintaining a Safe Environment

Masking can help decrease the risk of spreading potentially serious respiratory illnesses among patients, visitors, students, vendors, employees, and others in our hospitals and facilities.

• If you are a patient or visitor and are not feeling well, please wear a mask.
• If you have a fever, respiratory illness, or a stomach illness, please consider delaying your visit until you feel better.
• If you are unsure about masking, ask a staff member for information.
• Children aged 2 and younger should not be masked.
• If you can’t wear a mask for medical reasons, talk to a staff member about accommodations.
• For the latest masking information, call 833-390-9489 before your visit.

Important Reminders

• All visitors should wash their hands upon entering and leaving patient rooms. Good hand hygiene helps reduce the risk of spreading infection.
• Get recommended vaccinations to help prevent or reduce complications from infections.
• If you need to cough or sneeze while visiting, please cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow.
• When isolation is called for, visitors must take all isolation precautions as the doctor or nurse directs.
• Please do not use patient restrooms unless the patient is in a private room and gives consent.

Masking for Standard and Transmission-based Precautions and PPE Plan

Patients, staff, and visitors must wear masks when part of standard and transmission-based isolation precautions. This means the use of masks for patients diagnosed with, or who may have, a contagious respiratory illness.

Visiting Hours and Hospital Information

Family and friends are very important to a patient's healing process. 

Please talk with the patient's nurse to coordinate appropriate times to visit.

For hospital-specific visitor information, including visiting hours, directions, and other guidelines, please visit our hospital location page and select the UPMC hospital you will be visiting.

Patient Visitation and Support Persons Guidelines Across UPMC

Support persons are important members of the care team. They are essential to creating a healing experience for our patients.

UPMC has lifted our patient support person guidelines developed for the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of support persons is no longer limited, and visitors under age 2 are permitted in areas where masking is not required. Our general visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Some special circumstances may exist within ICUs, NICUs, obstetrics settings, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, and UPMC Western Behavioral Health locations. If you have questions about visitation guidelines, please contact the location before you visit.

Contact Us

UPMC
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582
412-647-8762
1-800-533-8762

Submit a question or comment online about your visit to a UPMC facility.

Cell Phone and Mobile Device Usage Policy

Please read and follow all posted signs in the hospital regarding restrictions on the use of:

• Cell phones.
• Wireless computers.
• Other wireless devices that transmit radio signals.

Do not use cell phones or any wireless devices within 6 feet of medical equipment in patient care areas.

Restrictions may also exist in hospital areas such as:

• Operating rooms.
• Transplant intensive care rooms.
• Radiology imaging rooms.

Clean Air/Smoke and Tobacco-Free Campus

In conjunction with our mission of supporting healthy lifestyles, UPMC is committed to a healthy environment for patients, visitors, and staff.

UPMC is a smoke-free campus. Our employees, physicians, volunteers, contractors, students, and others acting for UPMC are not permitted to smoke or use tobacco products on UPMC property.

Hotels and Accommodations

For information about hotel accommodations near UPMC hospitals, please visit our hospital webpages.

Family House

Family House is a nonprofit licensed organization that provides special "home-away-from-home" affordable housing for patients and their families who must travel to Pittsburgh for treatment of serious or life-threatening illnesses.

By providing a friendly, home-like setting, Family House strives to make a difference in the quality of the families' lives while they're here.

Located in the Oakland and Shadyside sections of Pittsburgh, Family House has 130 guest rooms across four freestanding houses:

• Family House Shadyside.
• Family House Neville.
• Family House University Place.

Rooms start at $68/night, and additional discounts may be available.

For housing information:

• Visit the Family House website.
• Call 412-647-7777.

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