Information for Visitors and Patients

New Masking Guidelines at UPMC

As of Wednesday, Feb. 12, it is recommended for all people to wear a mask when entering or while inside UPMC facilities and areas where patient care is provided. Be sure to check for signage about masking.

Masks are currently required in all patient-accessible areas of our UPMC Western Maryland facilities.

Masking is encouraged in all health care settings where patient care is provided, including:

• Hospitals.
• Outpatient centers and medical buildings.
• Senior living facilities.
• UPMC Urgent Care locations, laboratories, and testing facilities.

UPMC has adjusted our systemwide masking policies to address the increase in respiratory virus cases.

• Masking is encouraged for all people, including patients, visitors, staff, and others.
• At our UPMC Western Maryland facilities, masks are currently required in all patient-accessible areas.
• For your convenience, masks are available at UPMC facilities.
• If you can’t wear a mask for medical reasons, please talk with a staff member about reasonable accommodations.
• Children aged 2 and younger should not wear a mask.

For up-to-date information about masking, call 833-390-9489 before your visit.

Let’s Always Do the Right Things to Maintain a Safe Environment

• People with symptoms of a respiratory illness are required to wear a mask at all times to prevent spread.
• Visitors or support persons who are not feeling well or have a fever, a respiratory illness, or a stomach illness should consider delaying their visit until they feel better.
• Wash your hands. Good hand hygiene helps reduce the risk of spreading infection.

We continue to closely monitor the spread of seasonal respiratory viruses such as influenza, RSV, and COVID-19. UPMC shapes guidelines and policies based on the most current information to minimize risks. Masking can help decrease the risk of spreading these potentially serious respiratory illnesses among patients, visitors, students, vendors, employees, and people in our hospitals and facilities throughout the system’s footprint.

Masks are Available at All UPMC Facilities

• Masking is always welcome but is not required inside UPMC facilities that do not provide patient care. We encourage and support wearing a mask if you feel more comfortable doing so.
• You can always request staff members to wear a mask when caring for yourself or a loved one.

Important Reminder

Everyone can help reduce the risk of complications of infections by receiving recommended vaccinations.

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.

To Prevent Infection

To protect the well-being of our patients and employees, we ask that you take the following precautions:

• People who are coughing, sneezing, or ill must not visit. If you need to cough or sneeze while visiting, please cover your mouth and nose with your arm.
• All visitors should wash their hands upon entering and leaving patient rooms.
• 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.

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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