Patients & Visitors
Current Visitor Guidelines
Effective Tuesday, October 27 visiting hours have been suspended in all areas at Northwest Health - Porter, including Northwest Health - Portage and Northwest Health - Valparaiso with the following exceptions.
No visitors are allowed on patient floors with these exceptions. Patients in these areas may have one visitor at any given time:
- Emergency department
- Surgery
- Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) - must be a parent
- Pediatrics Unit
- Labor & Delivery Unit
- Patients at end of life
Additionally:
- No one with any respiratory illness symptoms or fever is allowed to visit
- No one under the age of 18 is allowed to visit (identification may be requested)
- No one who has been in contact with someone with a respiratory illness or someone who is COVID positive in the past 14 days is allowed to visit
- Other restrictions for the safety of the patient and our staff who take care of our patients may be added.
Outpatient COVID-19 Testing at Northwest Health - Porter
A physician's order is required for COVID-19 testing at Northwest Health - Porter. To find a Northwest Medical Group provider click here.
After the patient receives an order from their physician it will be sent electronically to Northwest Health - Porter (no paper orders). The patient then calls (219) 983-8399 to pre-register and schedule a time for the test. Tests may be scheduled between 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. Patients should not come to the hospital without first calling this number and scheduling a test time.
The COVID-19 testing is located outside the emergency room entrance at Northwest Health - Porter. Patients are instructed to pull their car near the RV at the emergency room entrance and remain in their car. Upon arrival, patients call (219) 983-5170 and a nurse will come to their car to perform the test.
The State of Indiana is offering COVID-19 testing to anyone who lives or works in Indiana. A physician's order is not required. Individuals without symptoms of COVID-19 can also be tested. To learn more about the State of Indiana's testing sites click here.
Universal Masking
We are following universal masking guidelines which means all who enter our facility are required to wear a mask. Those who arrive without a mask will be provided with one at the door.
COVID-19 Testing
Patients who have a physician's order for the COVID-19 test, please call (219) 983-5170 for instructions. Patients who are interested in getting tested should contact their physician's office for screening.
Urgent Care Locations
The four Northwest Health Urgent Care locations have reopened with the following hours. See our locations here.
Northwest Health Urgent Care - Valparaiso, 809 LaPorte Ave., Valparaiso, will be open Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and weekends 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Northwest Health Urgent Care - Portage, 3630 WIllowcreek Ave, Portage, inside Northwest Health - Portage, will be open Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and weekends 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Northwest Health Urgent Care - Hobart, 7890 East Ridge Road in Hobart opened on last week. Hours are Monday – Friday, 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and weekends 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The adjacent primary care office is open 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. and welcomes walk-ins.
The Northwest Health Urgent Care - Chesterton location at 650 Dickinson Rd, Chesterton continues to be open 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. seven days a week.
At Northwest Health - Porter, we understand that coming to the hospital as a patient or as a loved one's support person can be a difficult, often overwhelming experience. Whether you’re preparing for a hospital stay or stopping by to see friends and family, knowing where to go and what to bring will help make your visit less stressful. To make your experience easier, we want to provide you with helpful information you may need to plan your visit, such as what to expect, parking instructions, transportation and more.
Patient Education
Avoiding Healthcare-Associated Infections