Guidance on Double Occupancy Rooms
As we continue to manage the impact of COVID-19 on our System, we must work strategically to protect our staff and all patients admitted to our hospitals for care. Our COVID-19: Patient Placement & Double Occupancy Rooms policy provides direction on how decisions pertaining to room assignments should be made, with a goal of minimizing the risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 for staff and patients.
This guidance outlines how SARS-CoV-2 test results, as well as a patient’s presenting symptoms, COVID-19 exposure, vaccination status, and/or other risk factors for COVID-19, should be used to guide patient placement.
The UMMS Tiered Approach to Infection Prevention Practices (UMMS Tiered Approach), which UMMS is using to guide all IP-related policies and guidance, should be followed in conjunction with the guidelines outlined in the Patient Placement & Double Occupancy Rooms policy when making decisions on patient placement in the hospital including admissions to Inpatient Behavioral Health Units.
The Patient Placement & Double Occupancy Rooms policy was updated on February 28, 2023, to reflect that symptomatic patients should be placed in a private room on transmission-based precautions for COVID-19 (airborne, droplet and contact). As before, the use of negative pressure rooms is not required for COVID-19 patients, and placement of patients, including the use of negative pressure rooms and portable HEPA cleaners, should continue to be guided by the Patient Placement & Double Occupancy Rooms policy.
Thank you for your continued commitment to our patients and the processes we are putting in place to keep our work and care environments as safe as possible.
Click here to view the COVID-19: Patient Placement & Double Occupancy Rooms policy.
FAQs
Which patients should be assigned a single occupancy room?
To the extent possible, please utilize single occupancy rooms for symptomatic patients being tested for COVID-19 (Persons Under Investigation or PUIs) as well as asymptomatic patients (non-PUIs) with a known pre-hospital COVID-19 exposure in the last 10 days. Single occupancy rooms should also be utilized for initial placement of behavioral health patients to a behavioral health unit until the COVID-19 test performed upon admission comes back negative and they are considered appropriate for double occupancy based on further observation and testing.
Pediatric patients with co-infection, e.g., COVID-19 and RSV, must be in a private room and not cohorted with another patient.
Which patients should be assigned to a double occupancy room?
Two patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 may be placed in the same room. Two patients who have no known exposure to COVID-19 in the last 10 days, and do not demonstrate symptoms associated with COVID-19 or other acute communicable infection, may be placed in the same room and undergo SARS-CoV-2 testing (as recommended under the UMMS Tiered Approach).
What should we do if a patient tests negative for COVID-19, but is demonstrating symptoms associated with the virus?
These patients should remain in a single occupancy room with close monitoring, as long as the patient is considered a COVID-19 PUI based on signs and symptoms. Repeat testing may be conducted, if clinically indicated.
What considerations should be made for COVID-19 recovered patients?
Patients who are considered COVID-19 recovered can be placed outside dedicated COVID-19 areas. When possible, these patients should be placed in a private room or cohorted with another recently COVID-19 recovered patient in a semi-private room. During the admission in which they initially received their COVID-19 diagnosis, these patients may also continue to remain in COVID-19 areas or cohorted with other COVID-19 patients. If a COVID-19 recovered patient is readmitted during the 12-week period following initial diagnosis – i.e., while the patient is still in the COVID-19 recovered status and asymptomatic – the patient can be placed in a semi-private room with another COVID-19 recovered patient or with a patient who has tested negative for COVID-19.
What is the screening process for behavioral health patients?
All behavioral health patients will be screened for COVID-19 and must have at least one negative PCR or antigen test within 48 hours prior to arrival on the Inpatient Behavioral Health Unit. Patients will undergo a second test upon admission, which should be done at least 24 hours after the pre-admission testing (asymptomatic antigen testing is automatically ordered as 2 tests at least 24 hours apart).
When should behavioral health patients be moved from single occupancy to double occupancy rooms?
Single occupancy rooms should be utilized for initial placement of behavioral health patients to a behavioral health unit until the COVID-19 test performed upon admission comes back negative. Once this negative test result is received and the patient is considered appropriate for double occupancy based on further observation and testing, they may be moved to a double occupancy room.