Visitor information

Cafeteria

The cafeteria is on the main level of the hospital and is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

• Breakfast is served from 7 to 10 a.m., Monday through Friday.
• Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. daily.

Complimentary coffee, tea and water are available at all times, and a microwave is available in the dining room for general use.

Vending machines

Food and beverage vending machines are on the second floor of the Rotunda near the ICU entrance and in the alcove by the Emergency Department.

Visiting guidelines

Visits from family and friends are an important part of the recovery process and can help reduce patient anxiety and stress. In order to provide a safe environment for our patients, it is important that all visitors understand our guidelines. These guidelines may vary by department and exceptions may occur in certain cases, such as end-of-life care.

• Visiting hours are generally 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. For the Behavioral Health Unit, visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day.
• The number of visitors allowed at one time and visitation hours may vary depending on the unit and/or the patient’s condition.
• Cass Regional Medical Center reserves the right to request that visitors leave when the health or comfort of a patient is compromised by the visit.
• Overnight stays are generally allowed but will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis according to the patient’s condition and needs.
• All visitors under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult other than the patient.
• Children cannot be left unattended in the hospital. Due to their illness, the patient should not supervise children, their spouse, or anyone who depends on the patient for care/safety.
• ICU visitors under the age of 14 are allowed only with the permission of the staff.
• At times staff may need to ask for restricted visiting for all ICU patients due to concerns about another patient in the unit.
• All visitors must wear appropriate footwear. Going barefoot is not allowed.
• Smoking is not allowed on the hospital campus nor any campus operated by Cass Regional Medical Center. Even though they may not contain nicotine, electronic smoking devices are also not allowed.
• All visitors are asked to wash their hands using soap and water, or use hand sanitizer provided by the hospital, when entering or exiting patient rooms.
• Visitors may be asked to temporarily step out of a patient’s room so staff can provide care.
• Visitors and patients are requested to speak quietly and to avoid unnecessary noise. Disruptive behavior or behavior that interferes with patient care may result in visitors being asked to leave.
• All visitors should avoid visiting if they have a cold, fever, influenza-like symptoms, or any health situation which may be transmissible to patients or hospital personnel.
• In some situations, visitors may be asked to follow restrictions as to length of visit and/or use personal protective equipment such as a mask, gloves, gown, etc., to protect themselves from a disease that the patient may have, and/or to protect the patient from diseases or potential infections that the visitor may have. Any visitor who refuses to follow appropriate precautions will be asked to leave the building.
• Visitors are not allowed in any area where patient privacy or confidentiality may be compromised.
• Visitors are not allowed in areas where accounting, personnel, and/or patient information is processed or maintained without being accompanied by an employee or volunteer.

Service Animals

Cass Regional Medical Center supports the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by allowing persons with disabilities to be accompanied by service animals. The service animal will be allowed to accompany the patient/visitor with disabilities to all areas of the hospital, including the dining room, with the exceptions of the operating room or any areas where sterile procedures are being performed. It is the patient’s responsibility to make necessary arrangements for the care of the service animal during any time the patient may need to be in an area off limits to the service animal (i.e., the operating room). If a patient is unable to care for the service animal or unable to arrange for someone else to care for the service animal, the hospital may place the service animal in a boarding facility at the patient’s expense until they are released or can make other appropriate arrangements.

Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered unless these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the patient’s/visitor’s disability prevents using these devices. In this case, the patient/visitor must maintain control of the service animal through voice commands, signals or other effective controls.

If a service animal is out of control and the patient/visitor is unable to regain control, shows aggression toward the staff or other patients/visitors, or is not housebroken, the patient/visitor will be asked to remove the service animal from the premises. The patient will be offered services without the animal present.

The hospital staff will not be required to provide care or food for any service animal.

Pets and emotional support/comfort animals

Emotional support/comfort animals are often used to provide companionship, relieve loneliness and sometimes help with depression, anxiety and certain phobias, but they do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities and are not considered service animals under the ADA. Animals that are considered pets and/or emotional support/comfort animals will not be allowed in the facility due to infection control risks.

Pet visitation for patients who are terminally ill, or for skilled nursing (swing bed) patients, will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and must be approved by the infection prevention coordinator or the house supervisor prior to the visit.