VA Northeast Ohio Health Care | Veterans Affairs

Find VA policies on privacy and patient rights, family rights, visitation, and more.

Before visiting a patient at a VA facility, review these guidelines:　

Call the medical center for specific ward visiting hours and information.Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center: 216-791-3800

Visiting church membersIf you’re a member of the religious community, we encourage you to visit patients who belong to your church or religious group. However, you’re not allowed to do

general visitation by going from bed to bed, ward to ward, or unit to unit. (See COVID Protocols)

Bringing foodYou may bring small amounts of candy, fruit, and other food items if the nursing staff says they are appropriate for a patient's diet. You may not bring fresh fruit and flowers

to patients who are receiving critical care, and you can’t eat or drink in those units. (See COVID Protocols)

Washing handsYou must follow hand-hygiene policy guidelines, which require you to practice good hand hygiene when you enter and exit patient rooms, and at other times as directed by staff. 

(See COVID Protocols)

Following infection-control guidelinesYou must follow guidelines on infection-control signs and report to the nurses' station for instructions before you enter a patient's room. (See COVID

Protocols)

Staying home if you are illIf you have a communicable disease, you won't be allowed to visit patients inside the medical center. (See COVID Protocols)

Prohibited itemsYou're not allowed to bring weapons, cameras, or other prohibited items into the medical center, except when you're conducting official business authorized by the Director or

their designee. If you have questions about what qualifies as official business, please contact the facility's Director. (See COVID Protocols)

Giving privacyOur staff may ask you to leave the room when they’re caring for patients. If a staff member asks you to leave a patient's room, you may continue your visit in the day room,

waiting area, or any other public area of the facility. 

Visiting seriously ill patientsRelatives and friends may visit patients who are seriously ill or in hospice care at any time of day, unless the staff doctor says no. 

Visiting patients in restraintsIn general, you won't be allowed to visit patients who are in restraints. If the treatment team decides that your visit could have a positive effect on the

patient, then you may have a supervised visit with the patient when a staff member removes the restraints. Our staff will document how the patient responds to you and other visitors.

Bringing children to visitChildren of all ages can visit patients at our medical center. For infection-control and safety reasons, however, children under the age of 18 are not allowed to

visit certain specialty-care units. All children under the age of 18 must be directly supervised by an adult. Children's bedside visits are limited to 15 minutes. 

Visiting psychiatric units with childrenChildren under the age of 16 may visit patients in psychiatric units with the doctor’s permission. 

Limiting your visitOur doctors may limit, restrict, or deny visits for the medical well-being of a patient. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding. 

Prohibited itemsYou can't bring weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs into the building. Because the VA medical center is federal property, all visitors and bags may be searched. 

The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center police officers provide 24-hour patrols of the facility and parking lots. For general police assistance, please dial 216-421-3223.

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 Healthcare System is federal property, all persons and bags are subject to search. In addition, no weapons, alcohol, or illegal drugs are permitted.

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.

When faced with difficult decisions about health care, you may struggle with the question of "what should be done?" These resources can help you deal with tough decisions about health care

and how to plan for it.

Health Care Ethics Resources for Veterans, Patients, and Families

VA Form 10-0137 - VA Advance Directive: Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care and Living Will

Visit the Joint Commission page to report concerns you have about the quality of patient care.