Contacting & Visiting a Patient

Visiting Hours

General hospital visiting hours are 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Visitors who go above the first floor of the hospital must wear a pass, available from the Hospital Information Desk. Up to two visitors are allowed to see a patient at a time. Approval from the Information Desk is required before children can see a patient.

Smoke-Free

The UVA Medical Center is entirely smoke-free. Find out more about alternatives and stop-smoking resources.

Visitor Lounges

Lounges are available near our patient units for visitors’ comfort. A telephone and computer is available in each lounge.

Keeping Our Patients Safe: Please do not come to the hospital unless you are feeling well. Wash your hands before and after visiting a patient. Read and follow any signs posted outside the patient room.

Contact a Patient

Phone calls to check on a patient’s condition should be made to the patient or the patient’s Care Partner (if the patient has one).

Deliveries
Deliveries are made to inpatient units on weekdays. For patient safety, only Mylar (not latex) balloons are permitted. After a patient leaves the hospital, mail is forwarded to the address given to the Admitting staff.

Send mail and flowers to:
[Patient’s full legal name]
UVA Medical Center, Nursing unit and room number
Charlottesville, VA 22908
434.924.5251

Send a Free Card
Brighten a patient's day with a free card delivered to the hospital room. Order and personalize a card online.

Guidelines and Resources

Care Partners
Patients can have one or two adults be an active member of their health care team. Care Partners have access to the patient and can keep other family/friends informed about the patient’s condition.

Quiet Time
On the patient units, quiet time is between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. and at night. Please keep your voice low to allow for patient rest. If you have any questions, ask a staff person.

Cell Phones
For patient safety, cell phones can only be used in certain areas: Near the main elevators and in the public areas on the 1st floor of the hospital. Ntelos brand phones can be used everywhere within the Medical Center.

Who is Taking Care of the Patient?
There is a white board in the patient room (and on the patient unit) that will show who is on the patient’s health care team.

Patient Telephones
On the telephone at the patient’s bed, you may call out 24 hours a day but these phones do not accept incoming calls between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m. For long distance calls, you may make collect calls or bring a calling card (calling cards are also for sale in the gift shop).

Newspapers, Magazines and Other Activities
Volunteer Services can bring these or other items to the room. Call 434.924.5251.