Patients at St. Tammany Health System (STHS) may choose who visits them while a patient at an STHS facility. Subject to limited exceptions or special circumstances, patients may receive visitors consistent with their preferences.
General Information:
- STHS recommends that general patient visiting occur between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.
- STHS asks that patients receive no more than two (2) visitors at a time.
- Visitors under the age of 12 are to be accompanied by an adult who is not the patient.
- STHS allows Eucharist ministers and members of the clergy to visit patients and provide spiritual support to patients of their denomination.
- Visitors are expected to conduct themselves in an appropriate and courteous manner.
- When signs outside a patient’s room indicate that a patient is on isolation or other precautions, visitors are asked to check with the patient’s nurse prior to entering the room to receive specific instructions about precaution procedures.
- Visitors are not permitted to enter areas posted with an “Authorized Personnel Only” sign or a “Staff Only” sign.
- Visitors are asked not to visit patients if they have a cold, cough or other communicable illness. This is important to prevent the spread of infectious diseases among patients, colleagues, volunteers and other visitors.
- STHS has the discretion to restrict visitation based upon acuity of patients and other special concerns or situations.
The New Family Center and Mother-Baby Units. These units limit visitation during certain “quiet hours” to promote bonding between parents and baby. Also, the Nursery, NICU, OB and Pediatric units are secured areas. As such, admittance is allowed to these areas according to unit-specific procedures.
Intensive Care Unit and Neuroscience Unit. These units limit visitation to allow for transition in care according to unit-specific procedures.
Surgical Services and Procedure Areas. General patient visitation is not permitted in procedural areas like the Operating Room, Cardiovascular Labs and other special procedure areas.
Visitation during emergency operations. There may be times when STHS is required to restrict or limit visitation during emergency operations (i.e., during a pandemic such as COVID-19 or during and following a hurricane). STHS will follow guidelines from regulatory bodies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CMS, the Joint Commission and the Louisiana Department of Health. Visitors are expected to follow STHS protocols in effect at the time.
This visitor policy is subject to change and may be adjusted for patient safety or compassionate reasons in a clinician’s judgment. Please contact the Patient Relations Department at (985) 898-4669 for additional information.