Visitor Guidelines and Hours

Our primary objective is to ensure the health and safety of all our patients and employees so that we continue to deliver world-class care at our medical center in Orange and all community locations.

UCI Health makes a daily commitment to providing unparalleled care while maintaining the safety of our patients, their families and our healthcare professionals and staff.

Effective Jan. 25, 2023, UCI Medical Center no longer requires visitors to present proof of COVID-19 vaccination, proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test or undergo COVID-19 symptom checks upon check-in. 

The following visiting guidelines apply to anyone visiting the inpatient care areas at UCI Medical Center and the Emergency Department.  

• Visiting hours: every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, please do not visit until you are feeling better:
  • Fever (equal or greater than 100 degrees)
  • Vomiting or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
  • Coughing or sneezing
  • Fever with rash
• If you have recently had COVID-19 or flu, delay your visit until you are symptom-free. For COVIS-19, do not visit for at least 5 days from the start of your symptoms and you must always mask if you are visiting between 6-10 days after your symptoms began.
• Visitors may be required to wear a mask for the protection of the patient. Visitors must wear a mask while in the patient's room if there is a sign on the door that indicates mask is required; or if the staff instructs you to wear a mask.
• Please use the alcohol foam dispenser to perform hand hygiene when you enter and exit the patient room.
• Two visitors are allowed in a single occupancy room and one visitor in a double occupancy room. Patients with COVID are allowed two visitors from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 24-hour visitation is not permitted for patients with COVID, unless exception is approved through standard exception process.
• Visitor overnight stay: If one of the two visitors of the day chooses to stay or is asked by the patient's clinical team to support the patient by staying overnight, the visitor is expected to check in at the front desk upon arrival and request an overnight badge. If the visitor arrives outside of visiting hours, the front desk will call the unit to confirm the visit is allowed. If a visitor needs to stay a second night, the visitor must return to the front desk the following morning for a new overnight badge. Patients in double-occupancy rooms require unit clinical leadership approval. 
• Visitors seeking visits outside of visitation hours still require an exception request approved by a member of the patient's care team.
• End-of-life (EOL)/COVID EOL patients may have two visitors at the bedside and will follow our EOL guidelines. We strive to ensure that at least one person is with the patient during the entire period (24 hours) so that no patient is alone at the end of their life. 
• Visitors staying overnight who have come through the Emergency Department (ED) will be referred to the front desk by the bedside nurse upon patient admission to the unit.
• Pre-op area and lobby allows two visitors per patient only (visitors cannot rotate).
• Minors (under 18 years old) are not allowed to visit without an approved exception.

Front desk hours of operation

• Check-in through Guest Services: every day from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Check-in after hours through Security: every day from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Labor and delivery visitation guidelines

NICU Visitation Guidelines

• Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients may have one birth parent (or officially appointed surrogate) plus a support person (two visitors total that will remain the same for the duration of the stay).
• Visitor(s) must remain in the patient's room for the duration of the visit. 
• UCI Health NICU leadership and clinical team have the right to evaluate visitation on a case-by-case basis to support the appropriate level of care needed and allow for visitation exceptions.
• Visitors cannot bring balloons, flowers or plants into the unit. 

Pediatric Visitation Guidelines

• Pediatric intensive care patients may have two adult visitors, preferably a parent. They must remain in the patient's room for the duration of the visit. 
• Children undergoing surgery may have two adult visitors, preferably a parent, wait in the surgery waiting room. 

Other locations

Emergency Department (ED)

ED patients are allowed one visitor. For the safety of our patients, visitors and staff, visitors may be asked to wait away from the ED waiting room until the patient or UCI Health staff notifies them to return. Visitors may wait using the benches alongside the parking lot. 

Psychiatry 

Adult visitation hours:

Monday-Friday, 6-7:30 p.m.

Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 1-2:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m.

Adolescent visitation hours:

Monday-Friday, 6-7:30 p.m.

Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 1-2:30 p.m. and 6-7:30 p.m.

• Two visitors are allowed to visit with a patient at a time.
• Visitors need to stay in the waiting areas (not main lobby) while they wait their turn to visit.
• Visitors are not allowed to bring any items into the units.
• Minors (14 to 17 years old) must be accompanied by an adult and are only allowed to visit the 2 North Unit.

UCI Health Outpatient Clinics

The limited visitor policy described above is also applicable at all UCI Health clinics, including Chao Family Comprehensive Digestive Disease Center, Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCI Medical Center outpatient pavilions, UCI Health Neuropsychiatric Center, Adult Rehabilitation Center, the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute and at all other community locations.

The following exceptions may apply:

• One visitor will be permitted to accompany a patient, as appropriate
• Two visitors (parents/foster parents/guardians) for minors age 14 and under are permitted at clinics
• Other conditions or emergent situations may qualify as an exception as determined by the patient's care team

Questions?

If you need additional information, please call our Office of Patient Experience and Guest Services at 714-456-7606.