Visiting Hours & Policies

Cone Health is committed to the safety and security of our patients, staff and community.

Guidelines and Safety at All Locations

We value the importance of patients having support persons during their stay. We may update visitor guidelines when communicable diseases put patients, visitors, or staff at risk.

For everyone’s safety:

  • Do not visit if you are sick, have respiratory symptoms, or have a communicable illness.
  • Visitors who do not follow personal protective equipment (PPE) guidelines may be asked to leave.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily at Moses Cone, Wesley Long, Alamance Regional and Annie Penn Hospitals. One visitor age 16 or older may stay overnight but must arrive and be in the patient's room by 8 p.m. Minimal exceptions apply.

Check-In & Visitor Passes

To ensure safety and security, all visitors receive a visitor pass upon entry to our hospital campuses. Thank you for your patience during the check-in process.

Children Visiting

  • Children 12 and under may visit patients in Cone Health hospitals
  • Masks are optional
  • Some locations may have additional age restrictions (see location-specific guidelines below)

Required Safety Practices

Visitors must:

  • Self-screen for illness before entering
  • Clean hands when entering and leaving patient rooms
  • Wear PPE if requested

Visitor Exceptions and Support Persons

Exceptions may be made for patients who:

  • Have cognitive or behavioral needs
  • Have intellectual or developmental disabilities
  • Are unable to make medical decisions

These patients may always have one support person present.

Clergy Visits

  • Clergy may visit with patient consent
  • Clergy do not count toward visitor limits
  • Must follow safety guidelines
  • Exceptions may be made if guidelines conflict with religious practices

End-of-Life Visitation

For patients at end of life (as determined by the attending physician):

  • Care teams will coordinate visitation with the family
  • Up to five visitors at a time are allowed in the room
  • Visitors may rotate
  • Additional exceptions may be made in collaboration with the care team

Questions or Concerns About Visitor Rights

If you feel your visitor rights have been violated, please contact:

  • Department leadership on the patient’s unit
  • Patient Relations: 336-832-7090
  • Department of Health and Human Services: 1-800-624-3004
  • CMS Region 4: roatlora@cms.hhs.gov

Other Campus and Location Specific Visitation Guidelines

Inpatient & Emergency Department Care

In Adult inpatient rooms:

Non-Intensive Care Units

  • Up to four visitors allowed at one time in our hospitals including children. Children under the age of 16 must have an adult with them who is not the patient.
  • Visitors may switch out during visiting hours. We encourage visitors to coordinate their visitation times.
  • Visitors arriving after a patient has reached four visitors will be asked to return at a different time.

Intensive Care Units

  • Only two visitors are allowed at one time in the intensive care patient room. Visitors can switch out. 
  • No visitors under the age of 12 due to the critical status of patients, safety risk, and risk of infection.    
  • One adult is permitted to stay overnight.
  • No food, drink or flowers are permitted in the patient rooms.
  • Visitors to use hospital designated public restrooms and not the restroom in the patient room.
  • Exceptions to these restrictions are made for end of life and other special circumstances.
  • Exceptions are managed by departmental leadership or designee.

All Inpatient Units

  • One visitor age 16 or older may stay with the patient overnight and must be in the room by 8 p.m.

In Emergency Departments - Adult Patients:

  • One support person age 16 or older can be with the patient in the lobby (they may switch out during the stay). 
  • Up to two people can be with the patient in the treatment room (they may switch out during the stay).
  • Visitors should not come in if they are feeling sick. 
  • If the lobby is full and space is needed for patients, support people may be asked to wait in a visitor overflow area. 
  • A support person can stay with any patient who meets the visitor policy exceptions (i.e., cognitive, or behavioral needs, intellectual or developmental disabilities or those unable to make medical decisions). In this case, the support person can stay with the patient in the lobby even if it is full.

In Children’s Emergency Departments/Emergency Departments - Pediatric Patients:

  • Children under the age of 18 may have up to two adult visitors in the lobby and room at a time, and switching is allowed.

In Children’s inpatient rooms and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU):

  • Children under age 18 may have up to four visitors in the room at a time, and switching is allowed.
  • Two children up to age 17 are allowed at one time in a patient’s room and are included in the total number of four visitors. 
  • All children, anyone under the age of 18, must be accompanied by an adult at all times. 
  • Only two parents/legal guardians may stay overnight.
  • Children, any under the age of 18, including siblings, are not allowed to stay overnight. 

    For patients getting a surgery or procedure

    Surgical/Procedural Waiting Areas:

    • Patients having surgery or a procedure in a hospital may have two visitors in the waiting area. 
    • Children under the age of 16 must have an adult with them who is not the patient.
    • Visitors may stay in the waiting area during the procedure and may switch out with other visitors. If the patient needs to stay at the hospital during part of their recovery, the visitor guidelines for inpatient rooms apply.

    Before Procedure/Surgery:

    • The patient may have one adult visitor with them in the pre-procedural/surgical area.  
    • Clinical staff will let visitors know when they can go back to be with the patient. 
    • No switching visitors allowed in this area. 

    Behavioral Health Hospital and the Behavioral Medicine Unit at Alamance Regional

    In the Adult Units:

    • Visiting hours are from 6:30 p.m. - 7:15 p.m. daily.
    • One visitor may spend 45 minutes with a patient each day.
    • Visits may change based on patient and/or staff safety.
    • Additional visitation guidelines will be provided by the care team. 

    In the Children and Adolescents Unit:

    • Visiting hours are from 5:30 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. daily.
    • Two visitors can visit and must be immediate family members only.
    • Additional visitation guidelines will be provided by the care team. 

    Outpatient Facilities (Cancer Centers, Imaging Services, OP Rehabilitation, and Urgent Cares)

    For procedures/tests:

    • Two visitors ages 16 or older can be with a patient for procedures and/or tests in outpatient surgical centers.
    • Children under the age of 16 must have an adult with them who is not the patient. 
    • Visitors may stay in the waiting area during the procedure and switch out with other visitors. If the patient needs to stay at the hospital during part of their recovery, the visitor guidelines for inpatient rooms apply. 

    For outpatient imaging services:

    • One support person age 16 or older can be with a patient for outpatient imaging services. 

    For Urgent Care Centers:

    • All patients can have one visitor in the waiting area.     
    • Two visitors can be with the patient in the treatment room. 
    • If the lobby is full and space is needed for patients, visitors may be asked to wait in the car. 

    Cone Health Cancer Centers:

    • Two visitors/designated support persons are allowed for visits with the provider.
    • One visitor/support person is allowed in procedural or infusion suite.
    • Cone Health Cancer Centers only allow children ages 16 and older.

    Visitation Guidelines

    Women's & Children's Center at Moses Cone Hospital & Alamance Regional

    Support Person

    • The designated support person is not considered a visitor. 
    • Any inpatient support person will be given a band identifying them as the patient's chosen support person and may stay with the patient around the clock.

    Doulas

    • Doulas credentialed by Cone Health do not count as visitors.
    • If you would like to complete our credentialing process, please email doulaservices@conehealth.com.

    Visitor Passes

    • All visitors, including children, need an identification sticker when visiting. These stickers must be worn where they can be seen. 

    Maternity Assessment Unit (Check-In)

    • No children under the age of 16.
    • A designated support person age 16 or older may be with the patient in the treatment area. The support person may switch out.
    • During the postpartum period (up to 6 weeks), if the mother is the patient, she can have her newborn stay with her if there is another support person present who can be responsible for the baby.  

    Labor and Delivery

    • Laboring women may have one designated support person and two other visitors of any age visit.
    • The support person must remain the same.
    • Any child must be supervised at all times by a person aged 16 or over who is not the patient. 
    • The visitors may switch with other visitors.
    • Visitation is permitted 24 hours per day.
    • A doula registered with Cone Health for labor and delivery support is not considered a visitor. Doulas not registered with Cone Health are considered visitors.

    Mother Baby Unit, OB Specialty and Gynecological Care

    • A designated support person and three visitors of any age may visit.
    • The three visitors may switch out.
    • The designated support person or a visitor age 16 or older may stay overnight in the room.
    • During the postpartum period (up to 6 weeks), if the mother is the patient, she can have her newborn stay with her if there is another support person present who can be responsible for the baby. 

    Special Care Nursery (SCN) at Alamance Regional

    • The mother and one designated support person can visit anytime, day or night.
    • Two approved visitors (age 16 or older) must stay the same during the stay and may visit during regular hours. 
    • Maximum of two people (including the mother and siblings) at the bedside at the same time. 
    • Sibling visitation: Healthy siblings age 2 and older may visit with a parent during designated visiting hours. 
    • Parents may bring other visitors (age 16 or older) during regular visiting hours. 
    • Further details will be shared with the parents upon admission. 

    Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Moses Cone Hospital

    • The mother and one designated support person can visit anytime, day or night. 
    • Two approved visitors (age 16 or older) must stay the same during the stay and may visit during regular hours. 
    • Maximum of three people (including the mother and siblings) can be in the room at the same time. 
    • Sibling visitation: Healthy siblings age 2 and older may visit with a parent during designated visiting hours.
    • Parents may bring other visitors (age 16 and older) during regular visiting hours.  
    • In the couplet care area, the mother is not counted as a visitor until she is discharged. Her support person must stay the same during her stay. 
    • Further details will be shared with the parents upon admission. 

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