Patients and Visitors
People are amazing — we help keep them that way.
Our main focus is to assist our patients to a healthy recovery and to provide the best quality care possible. We know that the support of family and friends plays a vital role in the recovery process.
With that in mind, we’ve created a helpful resource for patients and visitors that will help make your visit to Allen Hospital as convenient and comfortable as possible. If you don’t find the information you're looking for here, our hospital volunteers or staff members will be glad to help you.
Visitor & Mask/Face Covering Guidelines
As we move forward to transition into a new phase of delivering safe care alongside COVID-19, our masking guidelines will be aligned with local community transmission levels.
Levels may be Low/Moderate, Substantial or High.
Current COVID-19 community transmission level: MODERATE
If you have an appointment or are visiting a patient at a UnityPoint Health location, please follow these guidelines:
- All visitors/support people must be in good health. Please follow the self-screening guidelines provided upon entry.
- Anyone who has recently been exposed, is symptomatic, or has tested positive for COVID-19 should not visit until they have met the CDC's guidance for discontinuation of isolation.
- Masking is optional at all area UnityPoint Health facilities for most patients, visitors and fully vaccinated team members. Please note: If/when community levels change, we will appropriately amend the masking requirement.
- Patients, visitors or team members who would like to continue wearing masks are encouraged to do so.
- Individuals who should continue to mask, regardless of community transmission levels, include:
- Unvaccinated team members
- Patients, visitors and team members who have had a known COVID-19 exposure or have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past 10 days
We appreciate your understanding during these uncertain times. Our goal is to protect our patients, team members and the community.
For more ways to protect against the spread of COVID-19 and seasonal influenza, and for the latest updates and guidance in this rapidly evolving situation, please visit the websites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov or Iowa Department of Public Health at www.idph.iowa.gov.
- There are no visitor restrictions for inpatients or departments not listed below:
- Ambulatory Surgery: visitors must be age 12 and older, 2 visitors per day allowed
- ICU & NICU: visitors must be age 12 and older, 4 visitors per day allowed
- MHU: visitors must be age 16 and older, 2 visitors per day allowed
- Individual departments may have more specific guidelines based on their patient population (e.g. ICU, labor & delivery, NICU, MHU, pediatrics, hospice, etc.)
- Emergency Department: only 2 visitors allowed per patient
- Outpatient Services / Clinics: only 1 visitor allowed per patient; children may accompany parents
- Patients in isolation for COVID-19: no restrictions for inpatients; individual departments may have more specific guidelines
- Visitors must follow PPE instructions as per any isolation guidelines
- If personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies become an issue or overall COVID-19 patient levels change in a manner that is concerning, visits to patients in any type of isolation may be suspended
- Religious visitations by clergy, Eucharistic ministers and other faith-based leaders are allowed; these visitors will be subject to screening for illness upon entry, required to wear a mask and perform hand hygiene according to hospital policy
- Visiting hours: It is recommended that patients be visited between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. to assure they get needed rest; after 7 p.m., all visitors are asked to use the Emergency Department entrance (Entrance 4)
- Visitors are reminded to wash and sanitize their hands upon entering and exiting a patient's room
- Allen Hospital team members have the right to request individuals who do not meet restriction criteria to leave the premises
Entrance Closures
Allen Hospital has closed entrances 1, 3, 5, 6 and 9 to the public.
- Entrance 2 will remain open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
- Entrance 4, the ER entrance, will be open 24/7, as usual
- Entrance 8 will remain open Monday-Friday from 5 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 6 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
General Visitor Information
There are guest computers available for families and visitors in the Allen Café, surgery waiting area, the ICU Tower in the main hospital, and 2-Heart and 3-Heart in the Pauline Barrett Pavilion.
Computers are for adults only.
At Allen Hospital, we are committed to providing you exceptional care in order to restore our patients' health and allow them to return home. In order to do that, we are committed to providing time for them to rest. There is a great deal of research that indicates that a calm, quiet environment contributes to healing. Therefore, at 12:30 p.m. each day you will hear chimes similar to a grandfather clock indicating the beginning of quiet time. During this time the lights will be dimmed in the hallways, voices in the hallways lowered and we will not be providing treatments during this time unless medically needed.
Quiet times will be from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. each day and 2-4 a.m. each night.
Any mail or flowers sent to patients while hospitalized will be delivered to their room. Because of the potential for allergic reactions, no latex balloons are allowed in the hospital. Mail received after patients have been discharged will be forwarded to their home address.
Mail should be sent to:
Patient's legal name and room number
Allen Hospital
1825 Logan Ave.
Waterloo, IA 50703
Food & Lodging
Allen Café
Located off the main hallway on the 1st floor, near the D-elevators. Hours are Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. and weekends 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Guest Trays
Meals are available for visiting members of a patient's family. If a member of the family wants to be served in the patient's room, call 2222 and place your order with the diet office operator. Meals are served to patients between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Vending Machines
Available 24 hours a day, located in the Allen Cafe, in the Admissions/Outpatient area, 4-Tower, 5-Central, and the Professional Building.
We have a limited number of Hospitality Rooms for family members of Allen patients. They are short-term accommodations, with priority given to families of our most critically ill patients.
Call Admissions at 3614 to reserve a room or make other accommodations.
If you are considering hotel or motel accommodations for your visit, the Waterloo area offers a wide range of options. It may be helpful to visit the websites below for more information on local hotels and restaurants.
Ramada Limited – Evansdale
The Evansdale Ramada offers discounts to family and friends of a person who is hospitalized. To receive the discounted rate, guests need to inform the hotel when making reservations or at check-in that they are with Allen or are visiting someone at Allen.
Hospital Amenities & Services
There are guest computers available for families and visitors in the Allen Café, surgery waiting area, the ICU Tower in the main hospital, and 2-Heart and 3-Heart in the Pauline Barrett Pavilion.
Computers are for adults only.
Allen Hospital's Floral & Gift Shop is your convenient, one-stop shop for a variety of timely and thoughtful gifts. Flowers and gifts can be delivered to patients and employees. To place your order with us over the phone, please call (319) 235-3880.
Gift Shop hours: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- If an order is received after noon, on a weekend or on a holiday weekend, it will be delivered on the next business day.
We offer free wireless Internet access available for patients and visitors.
Select UnityPoint Guest WiFi to connect your laptop or iPad.
If you need help connecting, call (877) 374-0229.
Your guide to our guest services includes information on:
- Concerns, Compliments & Feedback
- Your Care Team
- Patient Safety
- Amenities
- Leaving the Hospital
- Payment Options & Insurance
- Much more...
Care of the spirit is an important part of healing. The Spiritual Care team of Allen Hospital is available to support the emotional and spiritual needs of patients, loved ones and staff. We offer chaplain presence and support to people of all religions as well as those with no faith tradition.
The chapel is always open for visitors of all faiths for prayer and meditation. It is located on 1st floor next to the Human Resources office — or from B-elevator, walk straight ahead to the very end of the hallway.
If you would like a chaplain visit, tell your nurse, or call extension 3694. Spiritual Care is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Attention to the human spirit, including mind, heart and soul often hastens and contributes to the healing of the whole person. Allen staff chaplains have specialized training from nationally accredited programs; each chaplain has a wide variety of competencies and experiences. Chaplains are members of the interdisciplinary team of healing professionals within the hospital and in the larger community. We will supplement and support your own clergy at your request. Serious illness often causes fear, loneliness and spiritual crisis. We offer support, guidance and spiritual care for issues such as:
- Addictions
- Cancer care
- Cardiac care
- Crisis intervention and support
- Emotional distress
- End-of-life and ethical decision-making
- Family relationships and conflict resolution
- Grief and loss
- Mental health
- Resources for relaxation, meditation and devotion
- Spiritual counsel and support and provision of ritual or sacramental needs
