Visitor Policy
Understanding Our Updated Visitor Policy
Important Update for Patients and Visitors
Flu Safety Measures
Due to a rise in flu cases, Emory Healthcare is implementing enhanced precautions to protect our patients, visitors and staff. Please follow these updated guidelines, effective Dec. 30, 2025, at all Emory Healthcare facilities. This guidance will remain in effect until local flu numbers decline and may be adjusted at the discretion of our hospital epidemiology and infection prevention teams.
Flu Hotline Available
- We are now offering a 24/7 flu hotline to allow patients to connect with skilled nursing professionals and pair the patient with the right type of care.
- Call 404-544-9358 to speak to a nurse who can connect you to a virtual care provider.
Visiting Patients
At Emory Healthcare, every patient has the right to choose who can visit them during their stay. This can include family members, friends, a spouse, a domestic partner (including same-sex partners), or others to provide emotional support. Visitors are welcome as long as their presence doesn’t affect the safety, rights, or care of others. Please see the section below for more information about visitors and designated essential caregivers.
Patients can change their minds about who is allowed to visit them or say no to visits at any time. Visitors don’t need to be legally related to the patient and will have the same visiting privileges as immediate family members. We’re here to make your stay as supportive and comfortable as possible.
Masking Guidelines
When are patients and visitors expected to mask?
- In the Emergency Department waiting rooms, inpatient dialysis units and infusion centers.
- In all locations within Emory Healthcare, if they have symptoms of a respiratory illness such as cough, runny nose, sore throat.
Visitation Guidance
- Visitors who have respiratory symptoms or illnesses should not visit until they are symptom-free.
- Additional restrictions apply to visits for patients with confirmed or suspected flu, including a limit of one visitor. If you have questions, please contact a hospital staff member or nurse caring for your patient.
- Minors: Children under 12 years old are not permitted to visit inpatient and clinical care areas (except infants for postpartum visits, hospice, and special circumstances approved by the care team and Infection Prevention and Control). All minors under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult other than the patient.
- Hospitalized Patients: Two visitors are allowed at a time, in addition to the designated essential caregiver. Additional guests are welcome at the discretion of the care team and if safety permits.
- Hospital Surgery and Procedures: Visitors are allowed but may be limited due to space constraints.
- Ambulatory Surgery Centers: Visitors are allowed but may be limited due to space constraints.
- Imaging Tests and Procedures: Visitors are allowed but may be limited due to space constraints.
- Outpatient Appointments (including Winship and Lab): Visitors are allowed but may be limited due to space constraints.
- Emergency Department: Restricted to one visitor throughout the visit for adult patients. If the patient is a minor, two designated essential caregivers are permitted.
- Inpatient Rehabilitation and Long Term Acute Care settings: Restricted to two visitors at one time and all visitors must be over the age of 12. Minor visitors between the ages of 12 and 16 must be with an adult other than the patient.
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Care Nurseries: The patient or parent decides who is allowed to visit. Visitation is limited to two visitors at the bedside at a time.
- Inpatient Obstetrics/ Labor and Delivery: In addition to the designated essential caregiver, three adult visitors are welcome. Siblings under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult but are not included in the visitor count.
- End of Life/Hospice: Our care teams will work with the patient and family to meet the emotional support needs during this time.
If you have questions, please contact a hospital staff member or nurse caring for your patient.
These guidelines may change in a public health emergency or at Emory Healthcare’s discretion. Emory Healthcare prohibits discrimination of any staff member, provider, patient, visitor, designated essential caregiver or any other individual based on gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, religion, language, culture, cultural beliefs, physical or mental disability, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation or payment source.
Safety & Security
Resources for Visitors and Patients
Georgia No Patient Left Alone Act
The Georgia General Assembly passed the No Patient Left Alone Act (House Bill 663), which was made effective on July 1, 2024. This legislation establishes visitation rights for individuals admitted to hospitals and long-term care facilities.