If someone wanted to bring a bottle of beer into a hospital, would they be prevented from bringing it in with them?

Having checked on line, it appears to be against the rules of many hospitals. I cannot imagine a hospital that would allow alcoholic beverages. Could you?

I suppose someone could get a beer past the front desk. My ex regularly brings her father scotch when he is hospitalized. But that does not mean the rules are being followed.

Nobody's going to frisk you at the door, and I assume you're talking about visitors doing the drinking without becoming unruly in the process.

If you mean patients consuming alcohol surreptitiously, I would strongly discourage it for obvious reasons of medical safety. However if the attending physician has no objection, he or she could write an order granting specific permission for moderate consumption.

At least one hospital in St. Louis served wine in the exclusive patient restaurant. The prices reflected the clientele.

Your assumption's correct, Prof. I'm writing a little bit of a screenplay. A character has been carrying around a bottle of beer and is going into a hospital. I think I'll have him unwittingly sneak it past in his coat pocket.

Thanks for the help you guys.

I don't know whether or not it might still apply, but many years ago my wife was a patient in Sinai Hospital in Baltimore during the Passover period. The patients, whether Jewish or not, were served wine with their meals.

I don't think anyone is permitted to bring beer into a hospital, if it's known by the staff. However, people will sneak anything inside that they can.

I would hate to encounter a drunk unruly patient, visitor, or employee. Some things just deserve commonsense and respect.

Alcohol can be brought in for patients with the permission of a doctor. I have seen it happen twice. Both with dying patients who wanted a beer, before they died. The doctor wrote the order in the chart and the family brought in enough to share amongst themselves.