Patients & Visitors
In the midst of an increase in COVID-19 cases in our community and throughout Mississippi, Merit Health Natchez is once again asking for the community’s help in maintaining the safety of patients, visitors and our healthcare team members. When in the hospital for treatment, the best interest of our patients is to minimize unnecessary exposure to infectious or communicable diseases.
Effective July 28 2021, we have implemented the following updates to our visitor restrictions:
- No visitors will be allowed for patients in our hospital who are being treated for COVID-19.
If you would like to drop off a card, gift or message of encouragement, we are happy to deliver those to patients. You may also call a patient’s room or visit patients using Facetime or another video communication app.
- No visitors will be allowed in the emergency department waiting area or treatment areas.*
*Exceptions include:
- The ED patient is a minor
- Patients determined by the care team to be at “end-of-life”
- Request by hospital staff for assistance with patient
Effective April 1, 2021, the following visitation hours and guidelines are still in effect:
Keeping everyone safe remains our first priority.
Upon arrival to the hospital, all visitors will still have their temperature taken, screened appropriately and must wear a mask.
We thank you for adhering to these guidelines to ensure a continued safe care environment for our patients and staff.
Entrance access to the hospital by patients and visitors will be limited to:
Main Entrance: Open Monday – Sunday, 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Emergency Department Entrance: Open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.
Visitation for General Care Areas – Medical/Surgical Floor (4th) and Stepdown
Visitation hours are Monday – Sunday, 6 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Two visitors are permitted in these areas.
Visitation for Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
One visitor of patient’s choice or next of kin may remain with the patient at all times. A designated arm band with the patient’s last name and room number will be placed on the designated family/friend and used for the duration of the stay. Arms bands are not to be switched between family/friends. No sleeping cots will be allowed in the intensive care room. The visitor may be asked to step out at intervals to allow for specialized care to be provided.
- Visitation hours for other adults (anyone other than the one approved visitor mentioned above) is 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Monday – Sunday.
- Two visitors are permitted during these times.
- Children under 12 are not permitted except under special approval of the primary nurse.
Emergency Department
- No visitors will be allowed in the emergency department waiting area or treatment areas.*
*Exceptions include:
- The ED patient is a minor
- Patients determined by the care team to be at “end-of-life”
- Request by hospital staff for assistance with patient
Emergency Department Patient Holds
- Visitation guidelines for the unit/floor where the patient will be transferred will apply.
OB Patients:
- Two visitors are allowed during the patient’s laboring stage.
- Postpartum patients may have one visitor allowed at all times. No other visitors allowed.
Pediatric Inpatients
- Pediatric patients must have a parent or guardian present at all times.
- Both parents may remain with the patient.
- No visiting hour restrictions apply for pediatric patients.
Patients having Outpatient Surgery
- One visitor may remain with the patient the entire stay.
Patients going to Medical Imaging, Lab and Other Routing Procedures
- Please have your friend, family member or caregiver remain in the car unless they are absolutely needed to assist you.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Unit (5th Floor)
- Visitation guidelines are discussed with the patient’s family upon admission and based upon therapy schedule.
Exceptions to all of the above:
Exceptions will continue to include end-of-life and patients needing assistance with communication/behavioral care.
Cafeteria Information for our Visitors:
The cafeteria remains closed to the public, but visitors inside the hospital are welcome to utilize the cafeteria.
- Breakfast hours are 8 a.m. - 10 p.m.
- Lunch hours are 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Visitors may walk in and order food. Expect a 10 – 12 minute wait, depending on volume.
- Visitors may also order and pay online and pick up their food in the cafeteria. The website to order online is www.Natchez.ecwid.com.
- The cafeteria only accepts debit or credit card payments, no cash accepted.
Scheduled Appointments
At this time, we are asking that patients have a scheduled appointment for any tests that have been ordered for them by their provider. If a patient has an order for a service at our hospital, and the provider or office staff did not make them an appointment, the patient can call our centralized scheduling department at (601) 443-2230 to schedule their service.
Below are the designated, zoned entrances for your safety.
Non-COVID-19 Care Zone
Front Door Entrance — Patients who are scheduled for services at our hospital and have no known symptoms of the virus will enter through the front entrance.
COVID-19 Caution Care Zone
Outside entrance by MRI — Our caution zone, where you will see a tent is located, will be used for scheduled patients who have an order by their provider for a COVID-19 test, as well as the entrance for scheduled patients who are having outpatient testing and either have been tested for COVID-19 and do not have their results back, or they are exhibiting symptoms of the virus.
Restricted Care Zone
Park in ED parking lot at top of ramp — Should we have any positive COVID-19 patients whose provider has ordered outpatient testing, we have a restricted zone located at a side entrance.
How to connect with your patient by telephone in patient’s room:
If you know the room number of the patient you are calling, please dial 601-443-2 + the room number. For example, if the room number is 314, dial (601) 443-2314.
How to connect with your patient by telephone in patient’s Telemetry room:
Our telemetry rooms are Rooms 1 – 11. To call the patient’s room in Telemetry, dial (601) 443-28 +the telemetry bed number. For example, if your bed number is a single digit, Telemetry 2, you would dial (601) 443-2802. If your bed number is Telemetry 10, you would dial (601) 443-2810.
As you can imagine, with our limitations with patient visiting in effect, family and friends are calling the hospital and asking to speak with someone at the nurses’ station to check on their loved one. We truly understand the need and desire to do this.
Our staff wants to give you the most up to date information on your loved one. Please help us by adhering to the following:
- A code, along with the patient’s name, is required in order for a staff member to be able to give you any information over the phone.
- If you do not have a code, please do not call the unit inquiring about your patient. No information will be given.
- It would help us tremendously if only one family member would call each morning and each afternoon to check on their loved one. This family member could then in turn contact others to give this update. This would help our staff focus on your loved one as well as the other patients being treated in our hospital.
If you do have a code and need to call, please use the following numbers to call in our units:
- 4North - dial (601) 443-2480
- 4South - dial (601) 443-2470
- 5th Floor – Rehab – dial (601) 443-2544
- Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – dial (601) 443-2791
- Telemetry – dial (601) 443-2645
- Labor and Delivery, 3rd Floor – dial (601) 443-2384
- Post-Partum, 3rd Floor – dial (601) 443-2381
At Merit Health Natchez, we understand that coming to the hospital as a patient or as a loved one's support person can be a difficult, often overwhelming experience. Whether you’re preparing for a hospital stay or stopping by to see friends and family, knowing where to go and what to bring will help make your visit less stressful. To make your experience easier, we want to provide you with helpful information you may need to plan your visit, such as what to expect, parking instructions, transportation and more.