What you need to know about
Compassionate Care Visits

A health care facility is a hospital, as defined in section 197.020, RSMo., a long-term care facility licensed under chapter 198, RSMo., or a hospice facility certified under chapter 197, RSMo.

A compassionate care visitor is a patient’s or resident’s friend, family member, or other person requested by the patient or resident for the purpose of a compassionate care visit.

A compassionate care visit is a visit necessary to meet the physical or mental needs of the patient or resident, including, but not limited to:

• End-of-life situations, including making decisions regarding end-of-life care during in-person contact or communication with the compassionate care visitor;
• Adjustment support or communication support, including, but not limited to, assistance with hearing and speaking;
• Emotional support;
• Physical support after eating or drinking issues, including weight loss or dehydration; or
• Social support.

A health care facility shall allow a patient or resident, or his or her legal guardian, to permit at least two (2) compassionate care visitors simultaneously to have in-person contact with the patient or resident during visiting hours.

Compassionate care visitation hours shall be no less than six (6) hours daily and shall include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Health care facilities shall be permitted to place additional restrictions on children under the age of fourteen (14) who are compassionate care visitors.

1. The number of visitors per patient or resident at one time based on the size of the building and physical space;
2. Movement of visitors within the health care facility, including restricting access to operating rooms, isolation rooms or units, behavioral health units, or other commonly restricted areas; and
3. Access of any person to a patient:
   1. At the request of the patient or resident, or the legal guardian of such;
   2. At the request of a law enforcement agency for a person in custody;
   3. Due to a court order;
   4. To prevent substantial disruption to the care of a patient or resident or the operation of the facility;
   5. During the administration of emergency care in critical situations;
   6. If the person has measurable signs and symptoms of a transmissible infection; except that, the health care facility shall allow access through telephone or other means of telecommunication that ensure the protection of the patient or resident;
   7. If the health care facility has reasonable cause to suspect the person of being a danger or otherwise contrary to the health or welfare of the patient or resident, other patients or residents, or facility staff; or
   8. If, in the clinical judgment of the patient’s or resident’s attending physician, the presence of visitors would be medically or therapeutically contraindicated to the health or life of the patient or resident, and the attending physician attests to such in the patient’s or resident’s chart.
      • A health care facility may limit or redirect visitors of a patient or resident in a shared room to ensure the health and safety of the patients or residents in the shared room.
      • A health care facility may adopt reasonable safety or security restrictions or other requirements for visitors.

A compassionate care visitor of a patient or resident of a health care facility may report any violation of the provisions of 191.1400, RSMo., by a health care facility to the Department of Health and Senior Services. The department shall begin investigating any such complaint filed under subsection 191.1400.10, RSMo. within thirty-six (36) hours of receipt of the complaint. The purpose of such investigation shall be to ensure compliance with the provisions of section 191.1400, RSMo. and any such investigation shall otherwise comply with the complaint processes established by section 197.080, RSMo. for a hospital, section 197.268, RSMo. for a hospice facility, and section 198.532, RSMo., for a long-term care facility.