OSU Medical Center has an open visitation policy, which allows the patient to approve or disapprove of the visitation of any person. Children under 18 years of age must be supervised by an adult. No children under 13 are allowed in ICU. Children are not restricted by age and are expected to remain with the adult supervising them, that adult may not be the patient.

OSUMC recommends the general visiting hours of 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. This allows time for the patient to have visitors during the day and evening and allows the patient adequate time for sleeping and personal care at night.

Some examples of times when visitation may be restricted are:

• Infection control standards (ex: surgical or special procedure areas)
• Visitation may interfere with the care of the patient or other patients    
• The hospital is aware that there is an existing court order restricting contact
• Visitors engage in disruptive, threatening, or violent behavior of any kind
• The patient or patient’s roommate needs rest or privacy
• Interventions or areas that may pose a risk to the visitor (ex: procedures or testing that involve radiation)     
• Patient’s risk of infection by the visitor and/or visitor’s risk of infection by the patient
• Extraordinary protections because of an infectious disease outbreak
• Emergencies such as an external or internal disaster may require limitation of visitors