Akron Children's Hospital updates rules for Emergency Department visits

Akron Children’s Hospital has updated its Emergency Department visitation guidelines.

The hospital announced that as of Wednesday of this week, patients may now be accompanied by 2 visitors.

All visitors must be 18 or older unless the visitor is the parent or guardian of a patient.

To limit the spread of illness, visitors are asked to refrain from bringing additional children, including siblings, to the Emergency Department.

Akron Children's Hospital will continue its policy of screening all patients, families, and visitors entering the Akron and Beeghly campus emergency departments.

A Public Safety officer will inspect all bags and ask visitors to pass through a metal detector to check for weapons, illegal drugs and other dangerous items.

Patients needing immediate attention will be assisted by Emergency Departtment staff and screened with a hand-held device once the patient is stabilized in an exam room.

Patients arriving by ambulance will be screened by a hand-held device once they are stabilized in an exam room. Visitors arriving by ambulance may be screened by hand-held device or asked to walk through the metal detector.

Legally possessed items may be stored in the owner’s vehicle or secured by the Public Safety officer in a locker during the visitor’s stay for retrieval when leaving the hospital.