Patient & Visitors

Patient and Visitor Guide

View Our Latest Visitor Policy

Thank you for choosing Ochsner St. Mary to meet your health care needs. We consider it a privilege to serve you and your family. The goal of every Ochsner St. Mary staff member is to make your stay as pleasant and as comfortable as possible while following the medical care plan especially designed for you by your physician. Please do not hesitate to ask questions about your care or any of the hospital's services.

The information presented below covers a wide range of hospital services and policies. If you need additional information, please call us at 985-384-2200. We will do our best to resolve any difficulties that might arise while you are here or pass along any suggestions or compliments that you may have.

Admissions

Patients may pre-admit once admission has been scheduled. Admissions are processed via the registration clerks at the registration desk in the Emergency Department. Once you arrive on the nursing unit, the staff will help you get acquainted with your room and your surroundings. Patients undergoing outpatient surgery should report to the registration clerks at the registration desk in the Emergency Department. Expectant mothers should check in through the Emergency Department before coming to Labor and Delivery. If you are an admission please check in via the registration clerks at the registration desk in the Emergency Department.

Patients undergoing outpatient surgery should report to the registration clerks at the registration desk in the Emergency Department.

Expectant mothers should check in through the Emergency Department before coming to Labor and Delivery. If you are an admission please check in via the registration clerks at the registration desk in the Emergency Department.

What to Bring

You will need to bring a small number of personal items to the hospital, such as pajamas, robe, slippers, and personal toilet articles including cases for glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and dentures. If you bring with you or any of the prior mentioned items are brought to you after your admission, please make sure your nurse is aware that you have them in your possession. These items are your responsibility to keep up with. Bring your driver’s license, insurance card, claim forms, and your co-pay and deductible amounts.

Do Not Bring

Do not bring watches, jewelry, cash or other valuables to the hospital. Ochsner St. Mary will only be responsible for these items if they are deposited into our safe. Ask your nurse about safe deposits upon admission. Please do not bring medications to the hospital. Your physician and the hospital pharmacy will provide all of your medication while you are in the hospital. However, it is important to provide your physician with a list of all medications that you are currently taking.

Cafeteria

The cafeteria, located towards the front of Ochsner St. Mary, is open to visitors for breakfast and lunch, Monday through Friday. The hours are:
Breakfast, 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Lunch, 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Snacks and soft drinks may be purchased 24-hours-a-day from the vending machines located in the snack room directly outside the cafeteria doors.

Discharge

When you are medically ready to leave the hospital, your physician will write a discharge order on your medical chart. Your nurses and your physician will discuss discharge information with you, including special diets, medications and limitations on your activities. The case manager will assist you in making arrangements for home care or other community services, if needed. Your physician will let you know if an office visit is necessary after discharge.

Be sure to check your room for all personal belongings and reclaim any valuables from the hospital safe. When your transportation arrives, please allow your nurse to escort you from the hospital.

Family Waiting Room and Visiting Hours

Ochsner St. Mary has open visiting hours depending upon the condition of the patient.

Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times when visiting the hospital. In the Childbirth Center Department or Labor and Delivery, only siblings of the newborn under the age of 12 are allowed into the Childbirth Center Department. All other children must be over the age of 12 to enter the Childbirth Center Department. Please use caution when bringing young visitors to the hospital. Do not allow children with cough, fever, rash, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or recent exposure to illness to visit. For the convenience of your family and friends, Ochsner St. Mary has various waiting rooms for Med/Surg/ICU, Childbirth Center, and Surgery.

Intensive Care Unit

Due to the nature of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) visitation is determined on an individual basis. Ochsner St. Mary traditionally practices an open policy however depending on the needs of the patient, visitation may be restricted. Visiting hours are as follows:
10:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
12:00 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
5:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.
8:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Financial Arrangements

When you are admitted, you should confirm financial arrangements for your care. If you have hospitalization insurance, please bring your policy, identification card, and other pertinent information with you.

Most insurance companies require pre-admission certification and a second opinion before surgery. Please review your pre-admission requirements and coverage and advise your physician of these requirements. This process must be complete before admission, unless it is an emergency. If this has not been done in accordance with the policy's requirements, your insurance benefits may be reduced or denied. Also if the patient leaves the hospital “against medical advice” (“AMA”) your insurance may choose not to pay for the hospitalization.

If there is a difference between the amounts your insurance covers and the cost of health services or surgery, you may be asked to make a deposit at the time of admission. A deposit or hospital payment can be made in the form of cash, check or major credit card (American Express, Visa, MasterCard and Discover). If you have any questions about your bill or financial arrangements, call our Patient Accounts counselors, 8 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, at 985-380-4573.

Hospitals and doctors charge separately

Your doctor’s fees are not included in your hospital bill. Once you are discharged from the hospital, you may receive a separate bill from the physician who has been involved in your treatment. This may include the anesthesiologist, pathologist, radiologist, or emergency department physician. These physicians are not employees of the hospital. If you have questions concerning your examinations or the results, please consult your admitting physician. If you have questions about your coverage of your bill, please call the Business Office at 985-380-4573 and we will be happy to help you.

Housekeeping

Ochsner St. Mary believes in the perseverance of our natural resources therefore, bed linen is changed every other day or as needed depending on patient needs. If you need additional linens or housekeeping services, please contact your nurse.

Medicines

We will need a complete list of medicines you are currently taking, including those not prescribed or ordered by your doctor. While in the hospital, please take only medicines administered by your nurse. If the medicines are not given at the same time as you normally take them, please let us know and we will try to do things as you do at home. Sometimes meals or tests may hinder your normal routine.

We use generic medicines when possible to keep costs low. Because of this, some medicines may look different from your usual pills. If you have questions about the pills or other medicines you are taking, do not hesitate to ask your nurse or physician.

Pediatric Care

For the safety of our pediatric patients, those under the age of 12, we require an adult to stay with them at all times. If your child is under 2 years of age, we require the use of a baby bed for the safety of your child.

Smoking Policy

To protect your health and the health of others, Ochsner St. Mary is a smoke-free environment. Smoking is not permitted in patient rooms, corridors, lobbies, waiting rooms or any other area of the hospital.

Telephones

The telephone at your bedside is for your use and convenience. To make local calls, dial "9" and wait for the dial tone, then dial your desired number.

Valuables

We encourage you to entrust your valuables to a friend or relative while you are in the hospital. If you have valuables at the hospital please ask the nurse for a Special Valuable Envelope. Your valuables can be placed in the hospital safe, by the House Supervisor, once you have sealed them in the Special Valuables Envelope. The envelope must be filled out and signed by you or a responsible relative and your nurse. The content list will remain with your hospital chart and a copy of the list will be sealed inside the Valuables Envelope. Ask your Nurse about this hospital policy if you would like to use it. The hospital cannot be responsible for lost items unless they are placed in a Valuables Envelope. Glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids and dentures must be documented in your chart.