Patient and Visitor Code of Conduct

In order to effectively provide medical treatment to you, we require a commitment by staff, patients and visitors alike. Mutual trust and respect can help us provide the right treatment plan, in a safe and respectful environment that promotes healing.   

Below we’ve outlined the Code of Conduct expectations for all Patients and Visitors designed to help make your hospital stay, appointment or visit successful: 

• Patients, visitors and staff will address each other in a respectful manner.
• Patients are encouraged to speak with their providers about their therapeutic care plan.
• This is a smoke free campus. Tobacco use is forbidden on campus grounds.
• Weapons, illegal or dangerous items, alcohol, marijuana and illicit drug use, as well as possession of related paraphernalia, are forbidden in all areas and campus grounds. For patients, we may request a witnessed urine or blood sample for drug screening purposes from you if prohibited substance use is suspected or considered a significant issue in your treatment plan. Refusal will be considered an acknowledgement by the patient that such prohibited substance use has occurred.
• Patients, visitors and staff will refrain from exhibiting threatening or abusive behavior towards each other. We have zero tolerance for threatening or abusive behavior.
• Profanity, sexual harassment, racial or cultural slurs or other derogatory remarks toward others of any kind is not tolerated, including, but not limited to, slurs or remarks targeting another’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, culture, disability, language, sexuality or sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, marital status or ancestry.
• Patients, visitors and staff will refrain from any unauthorized video recording.

The following expectations are also required of hospitalized patients:

• Patients will remain on the unit for their safety and to facilitate timely care. Being on the unit allows for prompt testing, timely medication administration and frequent assessment by healthcare providers. Patients are encouraged to walk in the hallway of their unit.
• Patients who do leave the unit must develop a therapeutic plan for being off the unit with their physician and nursing team prior to leaving the unit.
• Leaving the unit, if not part of your therapeutic care plan, may be considered leaving against medical advice and could result in your discharge.

A safe and respectful environment is central to promoting a healing environment. If these expectations are not met, the following may occur:

• You may be asked to leave and your ability to receive non-emergency care at UMass Memorial Health locations may be impacted or restricted.
• Your ability to be on our premises or visit patients at our hospitals may be restricted.
• Law enforcement may be contacted.

All persons are welcome at any UMass Memorial Health hospital for their own emergency medical treatment. If you experience or witness any of the behaviors prohibited by this code of conduct, please inform a member of your care team. 

Date Approved: March 26, 2026