Visitors

Support from family and friends is an important part of the patient’s recovery process. We encourage you to visit your loved ones while they are at Deaconess Illinois Medical Center. Please follow the guidelines below to help us maintain a healing environment.

Visiting policies may be different for specialty areas. Exceptions to these rules can be made for end-of-life and other special circumstances.

View and Download the complete policy.

Visiting Hours 
 

• General hospital visiting hours are from 8 AM to 8 PM each day.
• An overhead announcement reminding everyone that visiting hours are over will take place at 8 PM. A grace period from 8 to 9 PM provides for final visitor good-byes.
• Visitors who wish to stay overnight, must go to the main hospital entrance before 9 PM to receive a paper badge. You must present a picture ID. 
• The facility will be locked down at 5:30 PM.
• Anyone wishing to enter or exit the hospital after 5:30 PM must do so through the Emergency Department.
• Clergy or their assistants may visit at any time with permission of the patient/lawful representative unless restricted by the physician or while direct patient care is being performed.

 Visitor Policies

• 1 to 2 designated “family members” may stay with the patient 24-hours per day. Family is defined by each patient and their individual situation. One of the designated family members needs to be the person with lawful authority to make decisions on the patient’s behalf.
• Designated family members and other visitors wishing to remain at the bedside must be capable of looking after their own needs. Employees will not assume the care of a family member or visitor.
• Children may visit on an inpatient unit during regular visiting hours only when accompanied by an adult. Children must be supervised at all times by an adult who is not the patient.
• All visitors must follow isolation precautions, including masking when required. (If this applies to the patient, instructions will be posted on the door of the patient’s room.) 
• Deaconess Illinois  Medical Center is a tobacco-free campus. Please do not smoke or use smokeless tobacco anywhere on our property.
• Deaconess Illinois Medical Center adheres to a zero-tolerance policy for threats of violence toward patients or staff. Persons making such threats will have their visitation privileges revoked and may be subject to law enforcement intervention.

These guidelines were approved and put in place March 19, 2025.