Visitor Information

Visitors Make All the Difference

Patients benefit from the support of family and friends. Visitors can come as often as they’d like. Even when the patient is not feeling up to conversation, your presence is usually appreciated, either in person or in spirit.

It is also possible to be supportive of a loved one in the BMT unit even when frequent visits are not possible due to distance, work, or school schedules. You can send cards, letters, and gifts (although fresh and dried flowers are not allowed in this unit), and all rooms have dedicated telephones and wireless Internet access.

Guidelines for Visitors

• Visiting hours are not restricted on the BMT Unit. (Visiting hours end at 8 p.m. for Strong Memorial Hospital patients.) The rooms can become quite crowded, so we do ask you to limit the number of visitors in the room at one time.
• At this time, guests are not permitted to stay overnight in patients' rooms. Many short- and long-term lodging options are available near the hospital for family members. 
• Children under 14 years old need to be accompanied by an adult. We do not allow visits from children under 12 years old. However, if it is the patient’s child, it is generally allowed. Younger children and infants tend to carry more communicable illnesses. Children cannot be unattended while visiting the unit.
• Patients or visitors are restricted from the Nurse’s Station and Conference Room to protect patient confidentiality.
• For safety reasons, children should not play at the Nurse’s Station or in the kitchen area. Children should be accompanied by an adult in the patient’s room or the visitor lounge.
• Please advise any visitors that if they have had any exposure to chicken pox or other communicable illnesses, they should consult a doctor before visiting. If they have visited and later discover exposure, please notify your nurse.
• To protect the patients and the environment, all visitors to the unit are screened by a nurse for any possible contagious illness.
• During the times when a patient’s condition requires special attention by the medical or nursing staff, the number of visitors and the duration of visits should be limited. Visitors may be asked to leave the room for short periods during certain aspects of care.
• Visitors may bring gifts to transplant patients, but there are some special precautions. Do not bring fresh or dried flowers or fresh fruit; these items may contain mold or bacteria that is harmful to the patient. Alternatives are gifts, such as books, magazines, CDs, or board games. Greeting cards are always appreciated. The patient can give visitors a mailing address after they are admitted.

Visitor Lounge

A visitor lounge area for families and visitors is located just off the elevators. It includes a bathroom, sitting area with a television, and a kitchenette. Children cannot be left unattended in the lounge.

Lodging and Accommodations

Strong Guest Services can assist you with lodging and accommodations. Free accommodations are available at Hope Lodge for cancer patients and their families who come from outside Monroe County for ambulatory treatment. For information, call 800-ACS-2345 (TTY: 866-228-4327).