Policies
Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more.
Privacy and patient rights
Read VA's national privacy and patient rights policies
Family rights
Read VA's national family rights policy
Visitation policy
Please review these guidelines before you visit a patient at the Northport VA Medical Center:
Northport VA Medical Center
Building 200
79 Middleville Road
Northport, NY 11768
Visiting hours:
Inpatient Medical-Surgery Visitation hours: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
Mental Health Visitation hours: 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET.
CLCs: Only two family members can participate in a visit.
Rules:
1. Visitors will NOT be required to be tested for SARS-CoV-2 or fully vaccinated as a condition of visitation.
2. The visit is for a maximum of 30 minutes. Face Mask and social distancing policies are required.
3. There will be a maximum of four visits scheduled per CLC per day.
CLC Visits will be scheduled at:
1. 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.
2. 11:15 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
3. 1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.
4. 1:45 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.
Mental Health Inpatient Units will schedule visitation with family members
Note: Individual emergency/ special circumstance cases are reviewed upon request.
Special Visitation is permitted for palliative/hospice patients/ residents
Limiting your visit
Our doctors may limit, restrict, or deny visits for the medical well-being of a patient. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
Prohibited items
You can't bring weapons, alcohol, or Illegal DRUGS classified by the Federal Government into a FEDERAL Building. On a federal level, all marijuana remains illegal. The federal government classifies marijuana, along with heroin and cocaine, as a Schedule I drug. The VA medical center is Federal property, all visitors and bags may be searched.
Security
The VA police patrol the buildings and parking lots every hour of every day. Our police service is located on the first floor of our outpatient building.
Report to the VA police any suspicious or criminal activity, vehicle accidents, and personal property losses on the facility grounds. For police assistance, call 631-261-4400, ext. 7187 or 7186.
VA general visitation policy
The medical center respects the patient's right to make decisions about his or her care, treatment and services, and to involve the patient's family in care, treatment, and services decisions to the extent permitted by the patient or surrogate decision-maker.
"Family" is defined as a group of two or more persons united by blood, or adoptive, marital, domestic partnership, or other legal ties. The family may also be a person or persons not legally related to the individual (such as significant other, friend or caregiver) whom the individual considers to be family. A family member may be the surrogate decision-maker, as defined in VHA Handbook 1004.02, if authorized to make care decisions for the individual, should he or she lose decision-making capacity or choose to delegate decision making to another.
The medical center allows a family member, friend or other individual to be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of their stay. The medical center allows for the presence of a support individual of the patient's choice, unless the individual's presence infringes on others’ rights or safety, or is medically or therapeutically contraindicated. The individual may or may not be the patient's surrogate decision-maker or legally authorized representative.
The hospital prohibits discrimination based on age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, language, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity or expression.
Advance directives
When faced with difficult decisions about health care, you may struggle with the question of "what should be done?" These resources can help you deal with tough decisions about health care and how to plan for it.
Health Care Ethics Resources for Veterans, Patients, and Families
VA Form 10-0137 - VA Advance Directive: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will
What You Should Know about Advance Directives
Report patient quality of care concerns
Visit the Joint Commission page to report concerns you have about the quality of patient care.