Patients & Visitors
Current Patient and Visitor Guidelines
Thank you for reviewing our visitation information before your visit to one of our hospitals or physician offices. Please note visitation is subject to change.
Limited Visitation
Our hospital administration monitors flu activity daily for both our region and the entire State of Tennessee. Currently, our community is seeing an increase in respiratory illnesses: Influenza, COVID-19 and RSV. Those under the age of 12 and anyone exhibiting signs of illness (fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, congestion, stomach upset) except for those seeking medical care should not visit patients at this time.
General Rules:
- Clean hands upon entering and exiting the facility.
- We strongly encourage you to wear a mask to protect yourself, the patients and others when visiting North Knoxville Medical Center, especially if you:
- Are immunocompromised
- Have not had the current season Influenza or COVID vaccinations
- Have been exposed to anyone confirmed to have had COVID-19,
influenza or RSV in the last 10 days
- The facility reserves the right to restrict visitation at any time if the individual's presence infringes on others' rights, safety or is medically or therapeutically contraindicated.
- Healthcare workers, including employees, physicians and volunteers, may not be required to wear a mask in their areas, but patients may ask members of their care team to wear masks if the patient would like them to do so.
Emergency Room:
- One visitor per patient will be allowed in the emergency department 24/7 (ages 18 and older).
- Exceptions can be made for those who are in end-of-life care and/or special circumstances.
Inpatient Units:
Please try to limit the number of visitors per patient to two (2), except where otherwise noted. We ask that you remain in the room with the patient and limit travel within the hospital.
Permissible Exceptions:
- Visiting a loved one for end-of-life care - unlimited throughout the day. We ask that you remain in the room with the patient and limit travel within the hospital.
Birthing Center
Please limit visitors to four per patient, plus a doula. Only one visitor during triage, cesarean section or recovery from surgical procedure. No visitors under the age of 14 with the exception of siblings.
Surgery and Outpatient Services:
- All inpatient and outpatient surgery and cardiac catheterization procedures, one visitor is permitted to accompany the patient in the pre-op and post-op areas.
- Patients presenting for pre-admission testing, surgery or outpatient services are asked to wear a mask while in these areas.
At North Knoxville Medical Center, we understand that coming to the hospital as a patient or as a loved one's support person can be a difficult, often overwhelming experience. Whether you're preparing for a hospital stay or stopping by to see friends and family, knowing where to go and what to bring will help make your visit less stressful. To make your experience easier, we want to provide you with helpful information you may need to plan your visit, such as what to expect, parking instructions, transportation and more.