Piedmont Athens Regional says no more visitors

Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center has imposed a complete ban on hospital visitation: there will no visitors allowed into the hospital on Prince Avenue for the duration of the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. 

From Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center…

From the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Piedmont has been working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) to stay up-to-date with the latest information.

Locally, Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center is continuously preparing for potential infectious diseases and epidemics and has intensified our efforts since COVID-19 showed increased activity in the United States.

To best protect the safety of our patients and employees, Piedmont Athens Regional has implemented visitor restrictions until further notice: All visitors are restricted except essential family members. The only cases in which visitors will be permitted are for patients receiving end-of-life care, labor and delivery support, and for legal guardians accompanying minors who are receiving treatment. Visitors must call ahead and receive preapproval. In addition, visitors who receive approval must pass a health screening based the CDC’s updated COVID-19 indicators before entering.

During this time, Piedmont Athens Regional encourages the use of electronic devices to communicate with patients who are hospitalized.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is evolving rapidly and we as a health system also must react rapidly to protect our patients and our employees,” said Michael Burnett, CEO of Piedmont Athens Regional. “While we regret the inconvenience it may cause for some patients, safety is at the center of our organization and we believe these steps are necessary to create the safest environment at our hospitals.”