VA Salt Lake City health care complete visitation policy

Visiting hours
Normal visiting hours are between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. You’re welcome to visit patients at any time during this period, unless our physicians or nurses need to limit access because of concerns about patient care or other Veterans’ rights and safety. We also allow patients to have a friend or family member with them for emotional support during their hospital stay. No overnight visitation is allowed, except in the case of end-of-life care.

Number of visitors
The number of visitors and the amount of time they’re allowed to spend with patients is at the nursing staff's discretion.

Visits from clergy
If you’re a member of the clergy, you’re welcome to visit patients who belong to your religious group at any time, at the discretion of the unit physicians or nurses.

Visiting patients with special needs
Our inpatient psychiatry unit and the Veterans it serves have special needs. To support the unit’s therapeutic structure and environment, we encourage you to visit between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. 

Our substance abuse treatment unit also has special therapies that work best if visits take place on Friday evening, Saturday, and Sunday. The treatment team will work with you to arrange visits at other times as long as they meet the health care needs of the patient and other Veterans in the unit.

You may visit patients at their bedside, in the unit lounge, the lobby of any patient care building, the canteen, or outside on the grounds.

Respecting patient privacy
To ensure patient privacy and confidentiality, our doctors or nurses may ask visitors to leave the room during examinations, treatments, or discussions with our staff.

Controlling infection
If you are ill, you should wait until your health improves before visiting friends or family at the medical center. If a patient is isolated for COVID, visitors will be trained and given proper Personal Protective Equipment.

Bringing flowers and gifts
Please do not bring flowers or plants to patients. Mylar balloons and other gifts are welcome, but latex balloons, which can cause allergic reactions, are not allowed anywhere in the hospital.

Bringing children to appointments
Children may come with their parents or grandparents to primary care or specialty care appointments. If the appointment includes a personal examination or test that will separate the child from the parent or grandparent (like X-rays or gastrointestinal procedures), then the adult should arrange childcare instead. No childcare services are available in the medical center or at any of our community-based outpatient clinics. 

Bringing animals to visit
We don’t allow personal pets in the medical center, unless there are unusual circumstances and the hospital director gives special permission for a pet to visit a patient. We do allow patients to visit with service dogs and other animals from formal programs that sponsor animal-assisted therapy or activities. All visiting animals must be kept on a short leash and have proof of rabies vaccination. Our staff will show patients where they can visit with animals.