Russia’s Health Ministry has drafted a state guarantees program for free medical care for next year. The document proposes allowing round-the-clock visits to hospital inpatients instead of limiting them to hours set by each hospital.
If adopted, the rule would apply to all medical institutions, not only paid wards where visiting rules are usually more flexible. A patient could be visited by a relative or another close person whom they wish to see. The absence of family ties or a late hour, as proposed, should not be grounds for refusal. The only exception would be quarantine.
“This is very good news: if round-the-clock visits are truly allowed, not only patients and their loved ones but also medical staff will benefit,” Albina, an intensive care anesthesiologist at a city clinical hospital, told the outlet.
According to her, the presence of loved ones reduces patients’ sense of isolation and helps them cope with anxiety and disorientation after surgery or in serious condition. She added that relatives can also tell doctors important details about chronic illnesses, allergies and medications the patient takes.
The article also cites research suggesting that with family support, patients follow medical instructions more carefully and communication with staff becomes clearer and more detailed. Some researchers, it says, link the constant presence of relatives to a roughly 25% lower risk of rehospitalization because post-discharge recommendations are followed more closely.
At the same time, medical workers see organizational difficulties. Albina said that in shared wards, common in Russian hospitals, extra visitors could create overcrowding, noise and conflicts between roommates. In her view, the rules need to be spelled out in advance, including situations in which visitors may be asked to leave during procedures.