HATTIESBURG, Miss. – (November 4, 2022) At Forrest General Hospital, our number one concern is the patients we serve. However, we recognize the vital role family and friends play in helping their loved ones heal. Because of this, the Forrest General ICU has implemented a 24-hour open visitation policy, with the exception of quiet-time hours, which are 7 a.m.-9 a.m. and 7 p.m.-9 p.m. During quiet-time hours, all visitors will be asked to step out.

“The well-being of Forrest General’s patients is the most important consideration when making decisions regarding visitors and visiting hours,” said Bryan Buckley, director of Critical Care. “We realize how important it is to have loved ones near, especially in the hospital setting.”

With the new visitation policy, the number of visitors is limited due to safety and privacy. Two guests are allowed to visit an ICU patient at the same time, and one person is allowed to stay overnight. In the event of an emergency, the visitor will be asked to leave the room if it interferes with the loved one’s care or the care of others.

When arriving for a visit, guests are given a visitor identification badge which must be returned to the ICU hostess before leaving. Visitors who are not spending the night with a patient are asked to wrap up their visits by 10 p.m. No visitors will be allowed to sleep in the ICU waiting room. No children under the age of 12 years old are allowed in the ICU.

“We recognize the vital role that family and friends play in the healing process of their loved ones,” said Buckley. “With this in mind, and our patients being our number one priority, we proudly made the decision to change to an open visitation. We look forward to seeing the positive attributes to this change.”

For more information, visit forrestgeneral.org.