Visitor Information

Current Visitation Guidelines

Visitation is limited to two people in each of the following areas:

Inpatient (non-COVID or non person under investigation)
Emergency Department
Outpatient surgery
Outpatient appointments

Minors between 2 and 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must be able to wear a mask.

UPMC Children’s Community Pediatrics: Support persons policy varies by location.

All visitors, parents, guardians and other patient guests, including clergy, to any inpatient unit or surgical area are required to wear a visitor Identification (ID) badge issued at the Welcome/Information Center, Floor 1A, before going to the unit.

For the safety of our patients, families, and employees, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh does not permit registered sex offenders on hospital premises. All visitors to our inpatient areas and Same Day Surgery department over the age of 18 must present a valid photo ID, and will be scanned through the national sex offender database. All individuals registered in the national sex offender database will not be permitted to enter, and will be instructed to leave the premises.

Visiting Hours

Visiting hours: 7 a.m. – 9 p.m.

Visitors between 2 and 18 must be accompanied by an adult and must be able to wear a mask.

Parents are welcome to be with their children 24 hours a day unless otherwise advised by medical or nursing staff.

Other family members are encouraged to visit and may visit along with friends during visiting hours.

Visitor Code of Conduct

In order for patients to receive optimal care, UPMC must maintain a therapeutic environment in its health care facilities. All patients and visitors are expected to refrain from behaviors that are disruptive, or pose a threat to the rights or safety of other patients, visitors, staff, or the facility. Any behavior that significantly impairs the ability of a facility to operate effectively, or deliver patient care, will not be tolerated. This behavior includes, but is not limited to:

Verbal or physical fighting
Loud voices or hostile tones of voice
Rude, profane, racist, or culturally offensive remarks
Threats of physical harm, intimidation, or coercive behavior
Weapons of any type (including firearms, knives, chemical sprays, etc.)
Possession of alcohol, illegal drugs, or behavior conducive with alcohol or drug usage)
Inappropriate or offensive clothing
Any other inappropriate behavior as determined by staff

Visitors refusing to comply with the visitor code of conduct may be removed from the premises, restricted from returning to campus, and if warranted, may have criminal charges filed against them.

Visitor Identification Badges

Badges must be worn at all times while visiting in the hospital. Adults who accompany children to Same Day Surgery receive their ID badges in that area.

Badges are issued at the Welcome/Information Center, Floor 1A, from 7 a.m.–10:30 p.m. daily, or in the Admitting office, Floor 1b. Off-hours badging services are available at the patient access desk in the Emergency Department.

Self-adhesive visitor ID badges are color-coded for easy recognition:

Yellow badges indicate individuals who wish to visit the Family Resource Center or who need to go to an outpatient service on Floor 6, 7 or 9. Patients and families arriving to Floor 4 for a surgery or procedure receive a printed yellow badge at the registration desk.
Pink badges are for families and guests to inpatient units on Floors 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9, along with a swipe card for access. Visitors must provide a confidentiality code to receive a pink badge.
White badges are given to visitors to the Emergency Department. They are valid in the ED and open access areas from Floors 1–3.

Any visitor to the hospital or patient guest on the patient units or other area accessed by the orange elevators without an identification badge will be directed to the Welcome/Information Center to be properly identified and badged. Public Safety will be contacted if a guest is unwilling or unable to comply with this procedure.

Patient Confidentiality Code

To ensure safety and confidentiality, parents or legal guardians will be issued a six-digit identification number that identifies their child. Nursing staff will only issue the identification number to parents or legal guardians upon arrival to the nursing unit.

Hospital Access

Parents, guardians and other guests requesting access to inpatient areas on Floor 4 (the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit), must provide the patient’s six-digit confidentiality code and receive a badge designating them as an inpatient parent or guest.

Parents, patients or other hospital guests requesting access to public areas such as the Floor 6 Family Resource Center, Chapel or Library; or to outpatient units located on Floors 6, 7 or 9 will receive a badge designating them as an outpatient or common area guest with access to the orange elevators. Patients, parents, guardians and other guests to Floors 1–4 outpatient areas access those areas via the grape elevators where badging is not required.

Identification (driver’s license or other picture ID) is requested to be issued a badge and a confidentiality code in order to visit an inpatient unit.

Photography Policy

All requests for camera use from media, patients, visitors, hospital staff (for non-treatment or educational purposes), or volunteers must be approved by a member of the Internal Communications staff before any filming is done or photography taken, including photos taken with camera phones.

Universal Precautions

Children’s Hospital follows guidelines established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent the spread of disease. These universal precautions include hand-washing and the use of gloves, gowns, protective eyewear and/or masks. In some instances, you also may be asked to wash your hands or wear special clothing before entering your child’s room.

If your child has, or is suspected of having, a disease that could be transmitted to other patients, he/she may be placed in an isolation room. The door to the isolation room must be kept closed at all times. Visitors and health care workers may need to wear special clothing before entering the room.