General COVID-19 Non-Clinical Policies

As part of our ongoing efforts to contain and effectively treat patients diagnosed with COVID-19, we are instituting a number of system-wide policies that will impact our staff, patients, visitors and students. These changes are being implemented, on an ongoing basis, in accordance with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, as well as the NY State and local Departments of Health, to ensure quick and appropriate response to this situation.

COVID-19 Safety Guidelines

Before visitor entry or any gathering, the organizer will ensure that a representative is stationed at the entry, with adequate hand sanitizer supplies and directions/signage, to ensure that each individual meets the following criteria:
- Symptom check: If anyone has had any of the following symptoms within the preceding 24 hours, they must be refused entry:
  - Fever (temperature greater than 100° Fahrenheit)
  - Chills
  - Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  - New onset persistent cough
  - Nasal congestion & runny nose not associated with allergies
  - Sore throat
  - New loss of taste or smell
  - Nausea or vomiting
  - Diarrhea
  - Fatigue (new or not explained by a pre-existing condition)
  - Headaches (new or not explained by a pre-existing condition)
  - Generalized muscle and body aches (new or not explained by a pre-existing condition)
- Do Not Shake Hands
- Hand Hygiene: Even if previously done on entering the building or in prior meeting, Hand hygiene with hand sanitizer prior to entry into the room (if no sanitizer is available, the meeting should not occur.)
- Social Distancing: We strongly encourage you to maintain a distance of six feet between yourself and others.
If any questions (for example, if you are unsure where to secure hand sanitizer for your meeting), please submit questions to CovidQuestions@mountsinai.org
Mount Sinai Health System COVID-19 Safety Guidelines – ASL

Visitor Policy

Mount Sinai will welcome visitors to the hospitals, including Emergency Rooms. For visitors to our ambulatory locations, please see the ambulatory visitor policy. The visitor policy for the Mount Sinai Health System is as follows:

Before A Visit

All visitors must be 18 years of age or older.
All visitors will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 when they arrive at the hospital. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 or who has been around someone with COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter.
All visitors must wear a face covering or mask during their visit. Masks with valves are not permitted. A mask will be provided if the visitor does not have one or has one with a valve.
After completing the temperature check and screening, visitors will be asked to provide their name, contact information and the name of the patient being visited.
Visitors will be directed to the Nurses Station on the Unit/Department where their loved one is staying.
Visitors must wash their hands with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer, before entering and exiting their loved one’s room.
If needed, visitors will be provided with personal protective equipment (PPE) to wear. Visitors must wear the appropriate PPE at all times and will be shown the correct way to wear it, including how to put it on and take it off.

During A Visit

Patients are allowed only one visitor at a time.
Inpatients are allowed a total of four hours of visitation each day, while Emergency Room patients are allowed a total of two hours of visitation.
When visiting an inpatient, visitors must stay in the patient’s room throughout their visit unless asked to step out by hospital staff.
If needed, the hospital reserves the right to restrict the total number of visitors to ensure the safety of patients and staff.
Visitors may not be present during procedures and recovery room except for childbirth, pediatrics, and patients with an intellectual, developmental, or other cognitive disability.

Visitors who do not follow these requirements will be asked to leave.

Hospital Visitor Hours

Mount Sinai Brooklyn: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Mount Sinai Beth Israel: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
The Mount Sinai Hospital: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Mount Sinai Morningside: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Mount Sinai Queens: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Mount Sinai West: 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Mount Sinai South Nassau: 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm

All visitors are expected to comply with the New York State rules on quarantine for those traveling from designated “hot spot” locations. If you have traveled to a “hot spot” location in the past 14 days, you will not be allowed entry.

An exception to this rule is:

for companions to a patient undergoing a medical procedure, elective procedure, or other appointment that cannot be postponed.
for companions who have traveled with a patient from a hot spot for an essential procedure
end of life situations.

Patients and their companions must remain quarantined except for travel that is necessary to their medical care, and the companions must abide by the visitor policy while on our campuses.

Please note, the visitor policy may be adjusted to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors.

UPDATED VISITOR POLICY – 8/10/2020

Ambulatory Visitor Policy

MSHS Ambulatory COVID-19 Pandemic Visitor Guide

Updated: 8/14/2020

Visitors to the ambulatory setting during the COVID-19 pandemic will be limited to ensure proper social distancing within the practices based on current government recommendations.

Visitors cannot accompany patients with scheduled outpatient appointments unless they meet the outlined exceptions below:

Patients who require support persons during their visit e.g. the pediatric population, oncology patients, the geriatric population, patients with obstetric visits and patients with intellectual, cognitive or developmental disability.
Patients scheduled for outpatient surgery are allowed one visitor for the intake aspect of their care. The visitor cannot be present during the procedure or during the recovery time. They can return post-surgery to pick up the patient.

Visitor Screen Pre-Visit:

The visitor must be 18 years of age or older.
All visitors will be screened for symptoms of COVID-19 when they arrive at the facility. Anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19 or who has been exposed to or living with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter.
All visitors are expected to comply with the New York State rules on quarantine for those traveling from designated “hot spot” locations. If you have traveled to a “hot spot” location in the past 14 days, you will not be allowed entry.

An exception to this rule is:

for companions to a patient undergoing a medical procedure, elective procedure, or other appointment that cannot be postponed.
for companions who have traveled with a patient from a hot spot for an essential procedure
end of life situations.

Patients and their companions must remain quarantined except for travel that is necessary to their medical care, and the companions must abide by the visitor policy while on our campuses.

All visitors must wear a surgical mask over their nose and mouth during their visit. A surgical mask will be provided if the visitor does not have one, or if the one in use is dirty, damaged, or has a valve. Any other type of mask is not permitted, including mask with valves etc.
Visitors will be asked to perform hand hygiene upon entry to the facility.

Please note, the ambulatory guide may be adjusted to ensure the safety of staff, patients and visitors.

Return to the Worksite Guidelines

Guidelines to Prevent Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace

Social Media Policy and Toolkit

Social Media Policy – guidelines for Mount Sinai Health System staff on participation in social media activity.
Social Media Toolkit – provides links to images, videos and other content which can be used to effectively promote health information related to the COVID-19 public health crisis on social media channels.

Lectures, Events and Meetings Policy

Effective March 19, we are expanding our restrictions on lectures, events and meetings.

All in-person large group lectures, events and meetings across the health care system should be cancelled or offered virtually. This includes, but is not limited to, grand rounds, educational classes, administrative meetings, and clinical meetings. To be clear, the Mount Sinai Health System, including the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, remains open under this policy but we are restricting the size of meetings (under 10) and also limiting visitors.
We recommend proactively cancelling – or converting to virtual - all non-essential meetings.
Any meetings that do occur in person must follow the strict COVID-19 Safety Guidelines at the top of this page.
If an external guest (non- Mount Sinai employees) is required for an essential meeting he/she must adhere to Mount Sinai Health System quarantine guidelines. As such, guests for meetings should not be permitted on campus if they have traveled internationally or to a State-designated hot spot location within the past 14 days.
If someone believes a lecture, event or meeting should be a rare exception to this policy (e.g., a blood drive), please submit a request to Vicki LoPachin at vicki.lopachin@mountsinai.org.

Volunteer Policy

In response to the recent outbreak of COVID-19, the following policy guidelines have been established for external volunteers, students from other institutions and observers within the Mount Sinai Health System (MSHS) effective Thursday, March 19, 2020. Important: All volunteers, students from other institutions and observers permitted to remain onsite at MSHS must comply with the COVID-19 Safety Guidelines.

Pending Applications for Volunteers, Students from other institutions rotating to MSHS, Observers: No pending or new applications will be processed until further notice. Note: The supervisors of students from other institutions with pending applications may request and exception to this policy by emailing a justification to the Department of Volunteer Services (DVS) at VolunteerDept@mountsinai.org.
Volunteers: Individuals who are registered with the Volunteer Department as volunteers and are actively providing services are subject to the following:

In patient care areas: Volunteers who provide services in patient care areas will no longer be permitted to do so.
Volunteers who do not work in patient care areas: Research, administrative and other volunteers assigned to non-patient care areas may continue participating at their supervisor’s discretion, unless otherwise notified by MSHS.
Volunteer assignments: MSHS plans to maintain a list of registered volunteers, particularly those who are no longer providing volunteer services because of the restrictions, so that they can be deployed throughout the institution, if necessary.

Students: MSHS will continue to honor its commitment to students currently participating in an educational experience for academic credit at MSHS. MSHS may adjust this commitment at any time to ensure student safety, operational integrity or any other institutional priority.
Observers: (Domestic and International): All observer programs are discontinued. International Observers should make appropriate arrangements regarding their return home.

Vendors, Consultants and Press Policy

As of July 8, any vendor or outside professional (consultants, equipment support, construction and engineering vendors, auditors, outside counsel, etc.) who performs a necessary function may be permitted on site under the following circumstances:

A leader responsible for the area must determine before the vendor/professional’s arrival that the services are necessary and must be provided on site (e.g., equipment maintenance and support).
Once approved, the vendor/professional will be permitted to enter the Mount Sinai Health System, solely to provide necessary on-site services.

Any individual who is permitted on the premises is subject to the same restrictions and requirements as visitors, including symptom screening upon entry and wearing appropriate PPE. However, the limitation on visitor hours shall not apply.

Cafeteria and Food Services Policy

Main cafeterias will be restricted to those with a Mount Sinai ID only. Cafes and smaller on-site food options will remain open to all, staff permitting. We are implementing this to protect our patients and visitors from large gatherings and to protect our staff. At a point of entry, as worked out by each site, patrons will be asked to show ID and to use hand sanitizer before entry.

New Policy on Gifts

During this crisis, many major companies want to thank the front line health workers for their dedication and service to our communities by making gifts of their products and services. As part of our continued support of our employees, we are relaxing our stringent no gift policy to allow Mount Sinai to accept gifts from organizations other than current healthcare vendors. Leadership will distribute these gifts as appropriate across the health system or the local sites, depending on the gift and donor. Please direct any donors to donations@mountsinai.org.

Specialist

Primary Care Physician