Visitor Policy

Ochsner Health’s standard visitation hours are from 8 a.m. -8 p.m. or per each individual facility’s operating procedures. Some of our locations will require you to walk through a metal scanning device to ensure the safety of all visitors, patients and employees. We have a visitation check-in system in the main lobby for most of our locations. To help ensure a smooth and quick process:

• Please have your form of identification ready.
• You will be given a badge that must be always worn during the visitation period.
• If you have a cough, cold or any symptoms of flu, COVID-19 or any other infectious disease, please reconsider your visit.
• Masking is highly encouraged in patient care areas. In the event of an infectious disease surge or outbreak, masking will be enforced.

Who is allowed to visit?

Each patient has the right to designate a support person, and/or visitors of their choice and may withdraw consent at any time. Visitors may include but are not limited to: a spouse, domestic partner, another family member or a friend, or a member of the clergy.

• Children must always be accompanied by at least one adult.
• Children must be at least 5 years old to visit the hospital and 12 years old to visit ICU and NICU, unless an exception is granted.

• Emergency Rooms will allow one adult support person and patients who are children may have up to two guardians.

• The number of people allowed per patient varies depending on department and facility location. 

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:

• Infection control issues
• Forensic patients (patients in custody)
• Court order restricting contact

Ochsner Health visitation privileges may be discontinued at any time based on the clinical situation of the patient, visitor noncompliance with recommended procedures, safety issues or other factors. Ochsner has a zero-tolerance policy toward any behavior that interferes with the care of a patient.

Ochsner Medical Center - New Orleans 

Visitation Guidelines

• Minimum age for hospital visitors is 5; 12 years of age for ICU and NICU unless an exception is granted. Children must be accompanied always by at least one adult. Minimum age requirement does not pertain to siblings of newborns on Mother Baby Unit.
• Emergency Department will allow one adult support person and patients who are children may have up to two guardians.
• Clinics will allow up to two adult support persons and patients who are children may have up to two guardians.
• Infusion suites, outpatient and procedural areas may have one adult support person and children may have up to two guardians.
• Inpatient units may allow two visitors at a time (additional visitors may swap in and out) and one support person or visitor may be allowed 24/7. No one under 18 years is permitted to stay on units overnight.
• Inpatient Mother Baby Unit may allow four visitors at a time. One adult support person or visitor may stay overnight. Siblings (any age) of the newborn are allowed to visit, but no one under 18 years of age is permitted to stay on units overnight.

Special Circumstances

• Palliative/Comfort Focused Care, Family Meetings, Consults or Comfort Focused Treatment - Spouse/partner, children, parents, and siblings may visit four at a time during visitation hours. Virtual services may be provided for families exceeding the four-visitor limit.
• End-of-Life Care - Spouse/partner, children, parents, siblings, and those closest to the family may visit four at a time and be present 24/7.

Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center

Visitation Guidelines

• For Labor and Delivery:
  • At the discretion of the healthcare team, up to three (3) visitors are welcomed in the LDR rooms during the labor process, the delivery of the baby, and the recovery period.
  • Visitors under the age of 12 years old require additional restrictions. Visitors under the age of 12 are only allowed to visit when an Adult (who is not the patient) can be responsible at all times for their care and supervision. This adult must be included as one of the three visitors and be aware that the delivery may be missed to care for the child. The children of the patient may be present during the delivery at the discretion of the care team. If the patient wishes the sibling(s) to hold the baby, an adult visitor must be present and responsible in assisting the child.
  • For the privacy and safety of all patients on the unit, visitors must not wait in the hallways.
  • One support person is allowed to remain in the labor room for the placement of a labor epidural, at he the discretion of the anesthesia provider. This support person must remain seated at all times during placement of the epidural. 
  • One (1) or two (2) attendants are welcome to accompany patients to the L&D OR suites for c-sections at the discretion of the care team. Attendants will be required to be seated at the head of the OR table. No one under the age of 18 will be allowed in the OR unless they are the father of the baby.
• For cesarean sections performed in the main operating room (OR):
  • Cesarean sections may be performed in the main OR due to additional complications or risk factors. In these situations, all the same stipulations would apply as in L&D OR, with the exception of the number of visitors allowed. In a main OR cesarean section, one (1) visitor may be allowed at the discretion of the surgeon and the anesthesia team.

• For Obstetrics Emergency Room (OBED):
  • One (1) Support Person may be allowed in the OBED. Any additional visitors should wait in the waiting room until the patient is discharged or admitted into their hospital room.

• For Mother Baby Unit and Antenatal Unit:
  • At the discretion of the healthcare team, up to four (4) visitors are welcome in the antenatal and mother baby rooms during visiting hours.
  • Visitors under the age of 12 years old require additional restrictions. Visitors under the age of 12 are only allowed to visit when an adult (who is not the patient) can be responsible at all times for their care and supervision. This responsible adult must be included as one of the three visitors and be aware that the delivery may be missed to care for the child. The children of the patient may be present during the delivery at the discretion of the care team. If the patient wishes the sibling(s) to hold the baby, an adult visitor must be present and responsible in assisting the child.
  • Only one support person is allowed on the antenatal unit and on the mother baby unit after visitation hours. This overnight guest must be over the age of 18, unless they are the father of the baby. Any exceptions to this, due to extenuating circumstances of the patient, must be approved by a member the maternal-newborn and pediatrics services leadership team.