Hospital Hours and Visiting Policy

MassGeneral Hospital for Children encourages a nurturing and healing environment and we strongly believe involved parents and family members play a vital role on a child’s road to recovery. The hospital does not have set visiting hours and family members are invited to visit at any time.

Visit Limitations

While there is no set visiting policy for parents, we do place some limitations on visitors if they are ill and we will restrict entry to the hospital if a visit might interfere with a child’s recovery. Visiting policies are enforced to preserve the exceptional quality of care children deserve while they’re at MassGeneral Hospital for Children.

Overnight Stays for Parents

Please keep in mind that having a hospitalized child can be physically and emotionally draining. So if you’d like to stay overnight, MassGeneral Hospital for Children usually recommends that one parent stay at a time, so the other can go home and rest. However, if both parents want to stay and it’s in the child’s best interest, we will accommodate your wishes. If you need information about hotels, please see overnight accommodations (PDF).

Inpatient Floors Locked at Night

The doors to inpatient units are locked from 8:00 pm to 6:00 am. If family visitors come during this time, a representative from the hospital reception area will alert the inpatient floor that your child has a visitor.

Siblings

Siblings can visit at any time as well, but generally do not stay overnight. Children who are ill, sick with cold or flu, or have had vomiting or diarrhea in the previous 24 hours should not visit the pediatric inpatient floors since they may pass infection or a virus to other children who are hospitalized. If a child has been exposed to any infectious disease, such as chicken pox, measles or whooping cough/pertussis during the three weeks before they visit the hospital, please call the inpatient floor to determine the appropriateness of the visit.

Mail and E-mail

Mail, packages or letters addressed to your child at the hospital will be delivered to the inpatient floor. Send all letters and packages to:

MassGeneral Hospital for Children [Patient Name]
Pediatric Inpatient Unit, [Room Number]
55 Fruit Street
Boston, MA 02114-2622

Laptops are available on the inpatient floors and can be used by patients in their rooms. If your child has an e-mail address, he or she can also send e-mail greetings to family and friends. You can include photos and text and exchange e-mail greetings.

Care Pages can be accessed on inpatient unit computers or at the Blum Patient and Family Learning Center. You might consider setting up a Care Page before your arrival at the hospital if your child’s visit is a scheduled one.