Restricted areas, temporary closures, and treatment-area access

Important: Do not enter a locked, posted, darkened, closed, staff-only, or unfamiliar treatment area unless Brookhaven staff have clearly directed you there. If directions conflict, return to reception or ask unit staff for help.

• Restricted areas protect patient privacy, safety, treatment activities, staff operations, and facility security.
• Temporary closures may happen because of maintenance, staffing, unit activity, safety review, cleaning, or care operations.
• Treatment-area access may depend on the patient’s unit, observation status, schedule, provider approval, and current safety needs.
• Visitors and support people must check in and follow current access instructions.
• Older maps, saved directions, or prior visit experience may not reflect current campus access.
• If you are lost, unsure, or accidentally enter a restricted area, stop and ask Brookhaven staff for help.

Reason	What it may affect
Patient privacy	Visitor routes, unit access, treatment rooms, patient wings, and records areas.
Safety review	Observation areas, room access, hallway access, belongings review, and visitor permissions.
Treatment activities	Group rooms, day rooms, therapy spaces, quiet rooms, and supervised activity areas.
Facility operations	Entrances, elevators, stairwells, corridors, parking areas, and service routes.
Maintenance or closure	Temporary detours, unavailable rooms, closed wings, and route changes.

• Patient care units not assigned to the patient.
• Observation areas, safety-review rooms, and supervised spaces.
• Medication rooms, staff workrooms, supply rooms, utility rooms, and records areas.
• Group rooms, therapy rooms, day rooms, and activity rooms during scheduled programming.
• Locked stairwells, service corridors, maintenance areas, and closed elevators.
• Visitor entrances outside approved check-in times.
• Closed wings, older campus areas, and rooms listed in archives but not used for current care.
• Parking, ambulance, loading, or service areas not marked for visitors.

• Maintenance, repairs, cleaning, or inspection.
• Safety review or unit activity.
• Staffing or care-team operations.
• Privacy needs for patients or families.
• Infection prevention or environmental cleaning.
• Visitor-flow changes or entrance updates.
• Weather, fog, power, security, or facility conditions.

Treatment area	Why access may be limited
Day room or common area	Access may depend on schedule, observation level, unit activity, or current safety needs.
Group therapy room	Groups may be limited to assigned patients or closed during active sessions.
Interview or consult room	Use may require staff scheduling, privacy review, or care-team approval.
Observation or safety-review area	Access may be limited for safety, privacy, and observation needs.
Quiet room or supervised space	Use may depend on care plan, staffing, availability, and whether the area is currently safe for the patient.

• Ask which areas you can access independently.
• Ask whether day room, group room, or activity room access is scheduled.
• Ask whether your observation level affects where you can go.
• Ask staff if you need a quieter space or support during unit activity.
• Do not enter other patient rooms or patient areas without permission.
• Tell staff if signage, noise, fog, darkness, or unit activity makes you feel unsafe or disoriented.

Important: Do not follow a patient, another visitor, or an old route into a unit, hallway, or treatment area unless Brookhaven staff have approved that access.

• Use the current visitor entrance and check-in process.
• Wear visitor identification if provided.
• Stay in approved visitor areas unless escorted or directed.
• Ask before entering a treatment area, day room, group room, or patient wing.
• Follow staff instructions if the patient’s unit or room changes.
• Do not bring items into restricted areas without approval.
• Ask staff if you are lost, redirected, or unsure where to wait.

1. Stop before entering the area.
2. Look for current posted notices.
3. Do not force, prop, or hold open locked doors.
4. Do not use staff badge access, service routes, or restricted elevators.
5. Return to reception or ask unit staff for directions.
6. Report confusing or unsafe signage to staff.
7. Request escort, mobility support, or wayfinding help if needed.

• Do not use old room numbers to locate a patient.
• Do not assume a former visitor route is still open.
• Do not enter older wings or archived campus areas without staff direction.
• Ask whether a wing, room, or entrance has been renamed or closed.
• Ask reception for current routing if campus records conflict.

• Family meeting or care conference.
• Visitor exception approved by the care team.
• Support-person involvement in discharge planning.
• Accessibility or mobility support.
• Interpreter, communication, or sensory support.
• Belongings pickup or approved item drop-off.
• Escorted access for a specific appointment, activity, or review.

Do not wait for a portal reply, records request, or routine callback if the issue affects immediate safety, patient location, visitor access during an urgent situation, or emergency care.

• If you are on campus and lost or unsure where to go, return to reception or ask staff for help.
• If you entered a restricted area by mistake, leave the area and notify staff.
• If a patient is missing, unsafe, or cannot be located, notify staff immediately.
• If someone may harm themselves or someone else, use crisis or emergency support.
• If there is a medical emergency, use emergency services or Alchemilla Emergency Services.