Visitor Guidelines

Visitor Information

At this time we have limited visitation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Masks must be worn in all patient care areas and the Emergency Department waiting room.

Visitors must enter through our Tulane Avenue or S. Galvez Street entrances. Please do not visit while having a temperature higher than 100 degrees or if you have flu-like symptoms. People who are COVID-19 positive are restricted from visiting patients.

General patient care units

Two visitors who are 10 years or older are allowed to visit from 8 am to 8:30 pm. One visitor, 18 years or older, per patient is allowed to stay overnight. If you are staying overnight as the patient’s designated guest, you may use the fold-out sofa in the patient’s room. A staff member can explain how the sofa folds out and where the linens are located.

Critical care units

Two visitors are allowed at a time per patient between 8 am to 8:30 pm. One visitor, 18 years or older, may remain with the patient after this time. Fresh flowers are not allowed in the critical care units.

To obtain updated patient information, and to avoid multiple phone calls, we ask that the designated representative provide his/her name and the code number when calling. Do not give the code number to others.

Contact these numbers for additional information:

• Trauma Intensive Care Unit: 504.702.4677
• Medical Intensive Care Unit: 504.702.2990
• Burn Center: 504.702.4527

Emergency department

Patients receiving care in the Emergency Department can have one visitor within the Emergency Deparment waiting area before the patient is placed in an exam room.

Behavioral health unit

A visitor’s pass is required for visitation in our Behavioral Health unit. Visitation is permitted as follows:

• Patients are allowed two visitors, ages 17 and older, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 1 pm to 3 pm.

Visitors must first check in with Hospital Public Safety to sign in and obtain a Visitor’s Pass. Passes will only be issued to visitors with the correct patient provided “patient identification number.” The Visitor’s Pass must be visible to staff on the unit to gain entrance. Visitor’s Passes must be returned to Hospital Public Safety when the visit is completed.

Limitations on hospital visitation

A justified clinical restriction on a patient’s visitation rights may include, but need not be limited to one or more of the following:

• a court order limiting or restraining contact
• behavior presenting a direct risk or threat to the patient, staff or others in the immediate environment
• behavior disruptive to the functioning of the patient care unit
• reasonable limitations on the number of visitors at any one time
• patient’s risk of infection by the visitor
• visitor’s risk of infection by the patient
• extraordinary protections because of a pandemic or infectious disease outbreak
• substance abuse treatment protocols requiring restricted visitation
• patient’s need for privacy or rest
• need for privacy or rest by another individual in the patient’s shared
• when a patient is undergoing a clinical intervention or procedure and the treating health care provider believes it is in the best interest of the patient to limit visitation during the clinical intervention or procedure.