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Visitor Restrictions & Appointment Information

Home Visitor Restrictions
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Visitor Restrictions and Appointment Information

Masking Policy

All Sanford Health locations require patients to wear a mask if they are unvaccinated, showing signs of illness or have COVID-19 and are in days 0 through 10 of their infection. Surgical masks are strongly recommended. We encourage you to bring your own face mask, but we will provide a mask if you don’t have one. If you are ill, please consider not visiting at this time for the health and well-being of all patients and staff.

Visitor Policy

Specific visitation requests may be accommodated at the discretion of the department director. Please call if you have a request that should be considered. Some facilities may have different restrictions. Please call ahead at the location you’re visiting to learn about their policies.

Hospitals:

  • Visiting hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
  • Visitation may be limited during the day or overnight.
  • One visitor may spend the night as an emotional support person.
    • Having more visitors is at the discretion of department directors.
  • Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) visits no longer have COVID-19 specific restrictions. We encourage visitors to call ahead.
  • Children ages 10 and under are not currently allowed to visit the NICU at the Sanford Medical Center in Bismarck. This is due to an increase in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the community.
  • All minor visitors must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

For COVID-19 patients in isolation:

  • Patients are allowed two visitors per day.
  • Visitors must continue to mask at all times.
  • Unvaccinated visitors should quarantine for five days after their visit, followed by strict mask use for another five days.
  • Fully vaccinated visitors should wear a mask for 10 days after their visit.

Clinic Visits and Outpatient Appointments

  • Each patient is allowed up to two visitors.
  • One visitor may be a minor if they are accompanied by a responsible adult over the age of 18.
  • Pediatric and neonatal patient visitors can be an adult or minor and can include parents, guardians and other support persons.

Long-Term Care Facilities

To protect long-term care residents, we implemented visitor restrictions early on in the COVID-19 pandemic. While safety remains our top priority, we can now allow in-person visits because of the precautions we’re taking. Please note, visitation in long-term care may vary according to guidelines from state and local departments of health.

These policies are in place at all of our locations:

  • Before each visit, all guests are screened for symptoms and potential exposure to COVID-19.
  • Visitors are required to wash or sanitize their hands before their visit.
  • Visits take place in designated visitation areas. When circumstances allow, our first option is to hold visits outside.
  • Visitors are asked to maintain a distance of at least six feet from their loved one, staff and other residents.
  • Each location determines the number of visitors allowed per resident per day, as well as the total number of visitors allowed at the location at one time.

To schedule a visit or learn more about safe visit guidelines, please contact the location directly.

Bemidji and Bagley

Effective 8 a.m. December 23, 2022


  • Visiting hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Visitors are required to wash or sanitize their hands before and after their visit.
  • Two visitors per day are allowed for all patients.
  • Exceptions may be made for end-of-life care and obstetric patients.
  • All hospital and clinic visitors must wear a mask at all times.
  • People who are sick or showing symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu are not allowed to visit.
  • No visitors under age 10 are allowed.
  • Children (under age 18 years-old) accompanying an adult to the hospital or clinic must remain with the adult at all times; children cannot be left unattended at any time.
  • One visitor may spend the night as an emotional support person. Having more visitors will be determined on a case-by case basis.

Adult Patients:
  • Two visitors per day are allowed for hospital patients. No visitors under age 10 are allowed.
  • Two visitors at a time, are allowed for emergency department patients. If the emergency department waiting room has a high number of individuals and social distancing becomes difficult, visitors may be asked to leave. Visitors for children under 18 years-old and patients with disabilities may remain.
  • Two visitors at a time, plus children of any age, are allowed for clinic appointments.
  • Adult surgical and procedural patients can have two visitors throughout the surgery process. The two visitors may include children of any age; please note, children cannot stay in the waiting room alone.

Pediatric Patients (under 18 years-old):
  • Two visitors per day are allowed for hospital visits including the Special Care Nursery. One of the two visitors must be a parent or guardian wearing an infant identification band. No visitors under age 10 are allowed.
  • For families with twins or multiples in the Special Care Nursery: If one twin/multiple remains in the hospital and the other has been discharged, the discharged sibling is allowed to visit with parents if the remaining patient is in a private room.
  • Two visitors per day are allowed for surgeries and procedures.
  • Two visitors, plus siblings, are allowed for clinic appointments and emergency department visits if space allows.