Tucson Medical Center starts visitation for patients

Visitation had been canceled since the pandemic started in March

HAD A LOVED ONE IN THEHOSPITAL -- THIS HAS BEEN APARTICULARLY TRYING TIME.

FORALMOST SIX MONTHS -- VISITORSHAVE NOT BEEN ALLOWED INSIDE-- BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUSSAFETY PROTOCOLS.

THIS WEEK --TUCSON MEDICAL CENTER HASTAKEN A MAJOR STEP -- TOWARDGETTING BACK -- TO PRE-PANDEMIC POLICY.

NINE ON YOURSIDE'S ROGELIO MARES EXPLAINSTHE NEW RULES.ON MONDAY TUCSON MEDICAL CENTERDID SOMETHING IT SAYS HASN'TBEEN DONE SINCE THE PANDEMICSTARTED IN MARCH: ALLOWVISITORS TO SEE PATIENTS.THERE ARE CONDITIONS.

IF APATIENT IS BROUGHT TO THEEMERGENCY ROOM... SOT ONCE THEPATIENT IS PUT INTO A ROOM,THE FAMILY MEMBER CAN COMEBACK AND STAY WITH THEIR LOVEDONE.

05SEC PRESIDENT AND C-E-O, JUDY RICH SAYS, ONCE APATIENT IS AT THE HOSPITAL, AGUEST MAY VISIT THEM.

SOTWE'RE GOING TO ALLOW THEFAMILY OR LOVED ONE TO COME INTO TUCK THEM IN, GET THEMSETTLED, MAKE SURE THEY FEELCOMFORTABLE BEFORE THEY LEAVETHEM AND GO HOME.

09SEC RICHSAYS PATIENTS MAY ALSO HAVEVISITORS ON THE DAY THEY ARESCHEDULED TO LEAVE THEHOSPITAL.

SOT ON THE DAY OFDISCHARGE, WE'RE GOING TO BEINVITING ONE PERSON TO COMEINTO THE HOSPITAL, RECEIVE THEDISCHARGE INSTRUCTIONS AND BEAPART OF GETTING THE PATIENTDISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITALAND HOME SAFELY.

12SEC RICHSAYS THE RULE IS STRICT FORTHE SAFETY OF PATIENTS ANDSTAFF, WHO SHE SAYS HAVEEXPRESSED CONCERN.

SOT INSIDETHE HOSPITAL, ONE VISITOR WITHONE PATIENT.

05SEC ONWEDNESDAY, RICH SAYS THEHOSPITAL HAD 410 PATIENTS.THERE ARE SOME AMONG THEM SHESAYS WILL NOT BE ALLOWEDVISITORS EVEN WITH THIS RULECHANGE.

SOT THE ONLY PATIENTSTHAT CANNOT PARTICIPATE INTHIS VISITOR IS SOMEBODY WHOIS COVID-POSITIVE.

07SEC RICHSAYS T-M-C IS CURRENTLYTREATING 12 PATIENTS FORCOVID-19.

SOT VERY, VERYDIFFERENT THAN THE 100 WE HADSIX WEEKS AGO.

04SEC THE RULECAN BE WALKED BACK IF COVIDNUMBERS SPIKE AGAIN, ACCORDINGTO RICH.

ROGELIO MARES, KGUN9ON YOUR SIDE.SCHOOLS IN PIMA COUNTY COULD