Patient Visitation Policy
The purpose of this policy is to create a supportive, caring and healthy environment for patients while promoting optimal patient care.
It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to allow patients to have visitors without regard to race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, culture/cultural values, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity/expression.
As outlined in Patient Rights and Responsibilities, every patient has the right to decide who can visit.
Visitors are welcome
As part of the healing process, we welcome families, caregivers, friends and other visitors. A caregiver or loved one may stay with MD Anderson patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
For additional visitors, the recommended hours are between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Your health and well-being comes first. Visits may be limited by the care team for the health and safety of our patients, visitors and employees. Speak with a member of your care team if you have specific visitation needs.
Larger groups are encouraged to use the patient/family lounges during the recommended visitation hours.
To ensure the safety and comfort of our patients and visitors:
- Visitors should bring and carry a photo ID with them.
- One overnight visitor is allowed in a patient room.
- Overnight stays by visitors are not permitted in the waiting rooms, lobby areas or other public spaces in MD Anderson.
- For safety reasons, visitors under the age of 18 must be supervised by an adult (other than the patient) and are not permitted to stay overnight.
Some units and patient areas may establish specific guidelines for the safety of patients in their area. For example, the Children’s Cancer Hospital has specific recommended visitation times and guidelines. They will continue to ask visitors and caregivers to check in at the G9 welcome desk when they arrive.
Ask a member of your care team if you have questions.
Children
Children are welcome to visit patients at MD Anderson as long as they are with an adult. To prevent the spread of infection, the adult with a child under the age of 13 will be asked questions about the child’s health, including:
- Immunization status
- General health
- Current illness
- Recent exposure to contagious diseases
After screening, the child may visit public places and non-restricted areas of the hospital. Children may visit your room if there are no medical concerns.
Designated waiting areas allow visitation with children under 13 for patients in the following areas:
- Inpatient Leukemia units
- Leukemia specialty care unit
- Inpatient brachytherapy unit
- Pre-operative, pre-procedure and recovery areas
- Intensive Care Units
- Emergency Center