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General Visitor Guidelines

Update as of Friday, July 23

Face masks are required inside all Health First locations and must remain worn in all spaces, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

Visits from friends and relatives are an important part of recovery, and we welcome them too. However, to protect against the spread of respiratory illness, including COVID-19, we have updated our visitor policy. The following policy is now in place:

  • Patients may have one visitor at a time and can switch out visitors.
  • Visitors must pass an entry screening upon each entry and re-entry.
  • No visitors younger than 18 years old at this time.
  • Visitation for COVID-19 positive or PUI patients is not allowed with the exception of end-of-life and labor/delivery patients.
  • Standard visitation hours will be from 7:30 a.m. - 9 p.m. (This does not apply to end-of-life, maternity, or emergency department visitors.)
  • Patients admitted outside of visitation hours will be allowed to have one visitor accompany them to the unit and stay until the patient is settled into their room.
  • Patients who come in for surgery or a procedure and are admitted can have one visitor accompany them to their room.
  • No overnight visitation (Exceptions for pediatrics, maternity, end-of-life and emergency services.)
  • Pediatric patients may have two visitors who must be either parents or guardians.
  • Maternity Services and NICU may have one visitor with the exception of a patient who has a doula. In this case, the patient may have both the support person and doula.

    • Other Rules and Regulations

    • Visitors should receive a Visitor ID pass at the Visitor ID Badging Station at Holmes Regional and Palm Bay Hospital.
    • Wash hands prior to entering or leaving a patient's room.
    • Visitors should refrain from visiting when ill or recently exposed to a communicable illness or infection.
    • Visitors should maintain privacy by only entering the room of the patient they are visiting.
    • Facilitating rest and recovery by keeping noise and disturbances to a minimum.
    • Wear protective equipment when applicable.
    • Refrain from smoking, consuming alcohol or using illegal drugs on Health First premises.
    • Visitors should wear appropriate clothing such as shoes and shirts.
    • Abide by patient preferences, as well as clinically necessary restrictions or limitations.
    • Refrain from interfering with normal health care operations.
    • Limit visitation to times specified by each facility.

    Cafeteria, gift shop, parking, and after-hours information

    Patient confidentiality - The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) governs how we use a patient's private health information. Physicians and hospital staff are not able to discuss a patient's condition with visitors unless the patient has specifically given us permission to do so.

    Smoking policy - For the health and safety of our patients, visitors, staff, physicians, and volunteers, absolutely no smoking is permitted on Health First premises. In the interest of better health for all, we support smoking cessation through our Freedom from Smoking classes.

    Patient safety - Safety is our number one priority. We encourage patients to remind everyone who comes in contact with them -- including staff and visitors -- about the importance of good hand hygiene. Also, please don't be frightened if you hear alarms; check with a nurse to see if a drill is taking place.