Beacon Health System temporarily changes policies to slow COVID-19 spread

SOUTH BEND, Ind.—On Monday, Beacon Health System announced that it is making temporary changes to its policies in its effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Visitation restrictions, elective surgery cancellations, and facility closures are among the list of temporary changes.

The following visitation policies for Community Hospital of Bremen, Beacon Granger Hospital, Elkhart General Hospital, and Memorial Hospital are now in effect:

No visitors will be permitted except under the special circumstances outlined below:

• Parents may visit their child on pediatric and newborn units
• One coach or partner may visit each patient on labor and delivery units
• All efforts will be made to allow visits to loved ones near the end of life

All visitors who meet the criteria must be over the age of 18, be in good health and will be subject to a health screening.

On Monday, Beacon Health began contacting patients who are scheduled for upcoming non-emergent surgeries and canceling some of the procedures.

Beacon Health and Fitness temporarily closed Monday night and will remain closed until further notice.

All classes are suspended at the three facilities in South Bend, Granger, and Elkhart.

Beacon will issue a pro-rated credit to member accounts for the unused portion of their March 2020 memberships and members will not be billed for April 2020 until the health system knows the exact re-opening date, the company said.