Va boston health care | veterans affairs

Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more. Visiting hours for inpatients at VA Boston Healthcare System: * Brockton and West Roxbury campuses –

between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., seven days a week. * A PATIENT OR RESIDENT WHO IS SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED TO BE INFECTED WITH COVID-19 CANNOT BE VISITED IN PERSON. EXCEPTIONS CAN BE MADE FOR END

OF LIFE OR OTHER EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES, AT THE DISCRETION OF NURSING / CLINICAL LEADERSHIP.  We appreciate how important visitation is to healing, and we will continue to facilitate

virtual visitation using iPads and cell phones for those unable to visit in person. Additional visitation options are available for end of life care. VA BOSTON SUPPORTS OUR PATIENTS'

RIGHT TO RECEIVE VISITORS DESIGNATED BY THE PATIENT. Visitors will be treated with dignity, compassion, and respect as an individual. Consistent with Federal law, VA policy, and

accreditation standards of The Joint Commission, visitors will not be subject to discrimination for any reason. Thank you for your patience and understanding of our continuing efforts to

protect our patients and coworkers. CODE OF CONDUCT VA Boston Healthcare System seeks to foster safe, respectful workplaces for staff and healing environments for patients. Please read our

Code of Conduct. ESCORTING VETERANS TO OUTPATIENT VISITS Veterans should come alone to outpatient appointments whenever possible. ONE SPOUSE, FAMILY MEMBER, CAREGIVER OR OTHER ESCORT, AGE 16

AND OVER, MAY ACCOMPANY THE VETERAN TO AN APPOINTMENT OR AN URGENT CARE / EMERGENCY ROOM VISIT WHEN NECESSARY FOR MOBILITY ASSISTANCE, TO FACILITATE COMMUNICATIONS, OR WHEN OTHERWISE

ESSENTIAL TO THE CARE OF THE PATIENT, subject to the discretion of the clinical care team. MASKING AS OF MAY 12, 2023, MASKING IS NO LONGER REQUIRED AT VA BOSTON HCS FACILITIES, EXCEPT UNDER

THESE CIRCUMSTANCES... * Patients presenting with symptoms should wear a facility-issued mask over their mouth and nose.  Symptoms include:  * Fever or chills * Cough, shortness of breath,

nasal congestion or runny nose * GI Symptoms (upset stomach, nausea, diarrhea, recent vomiting) * Loss or reduction in sense of smell or taste * Patients should also mask during the first 10

days of their COVID diagnosis  * Patients waiting or receiving care in high-risk areas, such as a Hematology/Oncology infusion center, should also mask; signs will be present to designate

these high-risk areas * Visitors should not come to the medical center if symptomatic or diagnosed with COVID within the last 10 days, unless otherwise indicated by the clinical care team,

so please call ahead Please note that Veterans, staff and visitors may still mask if they would like. SECURITY  VA Boston Healthcare System has a Police Service. Our officers provide 24-hour

patrols of the facility and parking lots. For general police assistance, please dial 45291 on a hospital phone. Or you can dial on any phone 774-826-1107 or 774-826-2530. In case of an

emergency, dial 55911 on a hospital phone. Or you can dial on any phone: Report all suspicious or criminal activity, vehicle accidents, and personal property losses to the VA Police while on

the facility grounds as soon as possible. Because the VA Boston Healthcare System is federal property, all persons and bags are subject to search. In addition, no weapons, alcohol or

illegal drugs are permitted. SERVICE DOGS We welcome service dogs of all breeds at VA Boston! Service dogs inside VA facilities must meet all of these requirements: * The service dog must be

trained to work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual or mental health disability.  * The service dog must be under the

control of its owner or another handler at all times. * The service dog is not permitted to access certain areas of VHA property to ensure that patient care, patient safety, and infection

prevention and control standards are met, such as operating rooms. We don't allow any other animals inside VA facilities, but we may make exceptions for VA working dogs, such as police

dogs, facility dogs, or animal-assisted therapy under VA clinical supervision. Dogs that provide only emotional support, comfort or companionship don't qualify as service dogs and are

not allowed inside VA facilities. 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.