LAC 48:I.9336. Visitation by Members of the Clergy during a Declared Public Health Emergency

A. For purposes of this Section, a public health emergency (PHE) is a declaration made pursuant to the Louisiana Health Emergency Powers Act, R.S. 29:760 et seq., or current law. B. A licensed hospital shall comply with any federal law, regulation, requirement, order, or guideline that is more restrictive than this Section regarding visitation in hospitals during a declared PHE issued by any federal government agency. C. For purposes of this Section, clergy shall be defined as follows: 1. a minister, priest, preacher, rabbi, imam, Christian Science practitioner; or 2. other similar functionary of a religious organization; or 3. an individual reasonably believed so to be by the person consulting him. D. The provisions of this Section regarding visitation by members of the clergy shall apply to all hospitals licensed by the Department of Health, except for a licensed hospital that is designated as a forensic facility. E. Subject to compliance with the requirements of this Section, each hospital shall allow members of the clergy to visit patients of the hospital during a declared PHE when a patient, or his legal or designated representative, requests a visit with a member of the clergy, subject to the following conditions and requirements: 1. each hospital shall have a written policy and procedure addressing visitation by members of the clergy. A copy of the written policy and procedure shall be available, without cost, to the patient and his legal or designated representative, upon request. The hospital shall provide a link to an electronic copy of the policy and procedure to a member of the clergy, upon request; 2. a hospital’s policy and procedure regarding clergy visitation may adopt reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions, provided that such restrictions are implemented by the hospital, in consultation with appropriate medical personnel, for the purpose of mitigating the possibility of transmission of any infectious agent or infectious disease or for the purpose of addressing the medical condition or clinical considerations of an individual patient; 3. a hospital’s policy and procedure on clergy visitation, at a minimum, requires the following: a. that the hospital shall give special consideration and priority for clergy visitation to patients receiving end-of-life care; b. that a clergy member may be screened for infectious agents or infectious diseases, utilizing at least the current screening or testing methods and protocols recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as applicable; c. that a clergy member may not be allowed to visit a hospital patient if such clergy member has obvious signs or symptoms of an infectious agent or infectious disease, or if such clergy member tests positive for an infectious agent or infectious disease; d. that a clergy member may not be allowed to visit a hospital patient if the clergy member refuses to comply with the provisions of the hospital’s policy and procedure or refuses to comply with the hospital’s reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions; e. that a clergy member may be required to wear personal protective equipment as determined appropriate by the hospital, considering the patient’s medical condition or clinical considerations. At the hospital’s discretion, personal protective equipment may be made available by the hospital to clergy members; f. that a hospital’s policy and procedure include provisions for compliance with a state health officer (SHO) order limiting visitation during a declared PHE; g. that a patient shall have the right to consensual, nonsexual physical contact such as hand holding or hugging with members of the clergy; and h. that a hospital’s policy and procedure include provisions for compliance with any federal law, regulations, requirements, orders, or guidelines regarding visitation in hospitals during a declared PHE issued by any federal government agency that are more restrictive than this Section. 4. A hospital shall submit a written copy of its visitation policies and procedures to the Health Standards Section of LDH at the initial licensure survey. 5. After licensure, the hospital shall make its visitation policies and procedures available for review by LDH at any time, upon request. 6. A hospital shall within 24 hours after establishing its visitation policies and procedures, make its policies and procedures easily accessible from the homepage of its website.