October 15, 2020… St. James Hospital is restricting inpatient visitation as of 4pm on Friday, October 16, in response to the growing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the greater Hornell area and Steuben County. “We need to implement a no-visitor policy for the safety of our staff and other patients,” said Bryan O’Donovan, president and CEO. “The exceptions are end-of-life situations, or for pediatric or special circumstances.”
Steuben County Health Department reports continued significant increases in positive COVID cases throughout the greater Hornell area.
“We understand how important visitation is to patients,” said Bilal Ahmed, MD, chief medical officer. “But with the resurgence of the virus, safety is and continues to be our number one priority. We are working closely with the Department of Health and UR Medicine to monitor the situation and guide our actions, and we will re-evaluate the visitor restriction when it’s safe to do so.”
The new no-visitor restriction applies to St. James Hospital inpatient unit. Visitor restrictions are still in place for patients coming to the emergency department, or for tests and procedures.
“We greatly appreciate the community’s cooperation as we
manage this ever-changing situation, to keep our patients and staff safe,” said
O’Donovan. Family members may call the
hospital at (607) 247-2200 to discuss their relative’s specific situation.
