Visitor Information
Wellstar Kennestone understands that having loved ones by your side can help with your healing and care. You have the right to choose and prioritize visitors from among family, friends, partners, personal care aides or other individuals (regardless of the person’s gender or your relationship to the person). To provide a restful and safe environment, we ask that visitors follow these guidelines:
Visitor Guidelines
- Smoking is prohibited on the campus.
- Please refrain from visiting if you have a cold, sore throat, fever or other illness.
- Avoid noisy, disruptive behavior to help respect the healing of all patients.
- Ask before bringing foods, drinks or other items that might trigger allergies like balloons, flowers or perfume into patient rooms.
- Wash your hands before entering patient rooms.
- Make sure children have a supervising adult with them at all times.
- Some areas may restrict children or limit the age of children allowed to visit. Please check with the nursing staff.
- Dress appropriately and wear shirts and shoes.
- If a family member stays overnight, he or she must be of the same sex in semi-private rooms.
After-Hours Visiting
All visitors entering Wellstar Kennestone between 9:00 PM and 5:30 AM, or planning to stay past 9:00 PM, must check in at one of the visitor management kiosks. Please bring a form of government ID. A Security Services team member will print you a FastPass® photo ID badge. A new pass is required daily for each after-hours visit.
Waiting Areas
Waiting areas for visitors are on each patient floor and on the main floor of each tower. Specific waiting areas have been designated for families of patients in the Critical Care Unit, the Emergency Department and Surgery.
Quiet Time
To provide healing and rest, Wellstar observes quiet times from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and 10:00 PM to 6:00 AM each day. Visitors are encouraged to turn off televisions and cellphones.
Tower Construction Information and Frequently Asked Questions
Celebrating 72 Years of Meeting your Changing Healthcare Needs
Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center is pleased to celebrate 72 years of providing world-class healthcare to you and your families. We are very grateful for the community’s partnership and wish to thank you for your ongoing support as we grow to meet your changing needs. Below are some frequently asked questions about this exciting, state-of-the-art new tower. We look forward to keeping this page updated throughout the project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2025.
What is being built on the Kennestone campus?
A new bed tower on the Kennestone campus:
Wellstar Kennestone has begun construction on a new bed tower. The tower will be built on the current Baird Building site in the center of the Kennestone campus. It was approved by the state in December 2021, and the first phase of pre-construction work is well underway. The building is expected to be complete mid-2025.
Why is this tower being built?
Kennestone is committed to offering world-class healthcare to its community and all of Georgia:
Kennestone continues to not only provide quality care to its in-network community, but also to patients throughout the state of Georgia. The new tower will allow us to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our community by continuing to improve the patient experience, expand our service lines, respond to any emerging disease crisis and future-proof healthcare.
The area around Kennestone is growing and requires increasingly complex care:
Kennestone serves 2.5 million residents and this number is projected to grow by more than five percent over the next five years. The senior population is expected to grow by a disproportionately larger 25%. An aging population will demand more specialized care, thus more space.
Kennestone’s expanded Emergency Department (ED) meets not just local needs, but cares for all ages and higher acuity patients across Georgia:
Since 1950 Kennestone has been serving the local community with regular additions and renovations to keep pace with area growth and changing healthcare needs. In 2020 Kennestone expanded the adult and pediatric Emergency Department, and it will eventually accommodate more than 220,000 patients of all acuity levels each year – nearly doubling the hospital’s capacity and further extending its ability to serve the entire state. Once a patient transitions from this level of care, they often need further hospital care and rehabilitation, thus more beds are needed. One of only four in Georgia, this Level 2 Trauma Center is often a destination for patients requiring complex care not just within the Wellstar system but throughout the entire state of Georgia.
What will be housed in the new tower?
The new tower will house next-generation NICU and neonatal services and will become home to our cutting-edge cardiovascular and neurology service lines, all enabled by technology to ensure the expertise housed within the tower reaches patients throughout the state. The tower also provides the privacy and modern comfort people expect today including additional private rooms, a new dietary service, in-room dining options and much more.
What changes should I expect on or near the campus during construction?
The only impact due to construction will be navigating parking once on campus and partial, temporary lane closure:
Kennestone’s main lobby entrance will remain open during the current phase of construction. However, the Blue Parking Deck is temporarily closed.
Alternately, patients and visitors may park in the Cancer Center Parking Deck. Golf carts with drivers will be stationed at the entrance to the Cancer Center Deck to shuttle pedestrians from the parking garage to the main lobby entrance of the hospital from 6am to 9pm daily. Labor & Delivery patients only may be dropped off just inside the Blue Parking Deck as directed by signs (see below).
Two lanes on Kennestone Hospital Boulevard will be intermittently blocked to vehicles as the construction team performs underground utility work. We estimate this will take approximately six months.
Where do I go if I am delivering a baby?
Labor & Delivery patients ONLY may be dropped-off at the Outpatient Pavilion entrance just inside the Blue Parking Deck
The Labor & Delivery Drop-off/Entrance has shifted to the Outpatient Pavilion entrance, just inside the Blue Parking Deck. This deck is temporarily closed to all other patients and visitors. Labor & Delivery visitors may park in the Cancer Center Parking Deck. Golf carts with drivers will be stationed at the entrance to the Cancer Center Deck to shuttle pedestrians from the parking garage to the main lobby entrance of the Hospital from 6am to 9pm daily.
To access this Labor & Delivery entrance, visitors use Kennestone Hospital Boulevard, off Tower Road, then follow the Labor & Delivery signs into the Blue Parking Deck.
This entrance is covered, there is plenty of space for drop-off, and the reception desk is staffed 24-hours a day.
Will construction impact the Emergency Department?
Construction will not impact patient access to the Emergency Department:
Emergency Department access for patients will not be impacted by this construction. Emergency vehicles may be impacted by lane closures but already have been notified of efficient route alternatives.
The entire Wellstar Kennestone team thanks you for your patience and support as we continue to grow to serve your healthcare needs!
Proposed Project Schedule
- May 2022 - Enabling Project, Phase I, Underway
- December 2022 - Baird Building Demolition Start
- March 2023 - Bed Tower Construction Start
- December 2025 - Bed Tower Construction Complete
- March 2026 - Bed Tower Occupancy
Contact Us
Contact us with questions or concerns:
[email protected]
470-956-7241
Parking Information
PARKING UPDATE — We are pleased to share that as of Monday, August 8, 2022, the Blue Parking Deck will re-open as our primary patient/visitor paid parking deck. The Cancer Center Parking Deck will also resume as a paid patient/visitor parking deck. Golf carts with drivers will remain available at the entrance of both decks to shuttle visitors and patients to the hospital entrance from 6:00am to 9:00pm daily, and personnel are present to help further direct you. Thank you for your patience as we worked through deck repairs together!

Download map.
Blue Parking Deck
The Blue Parking Deck is our primary patient/visitor parking deck and allows direct access to the main hospital entrance and all services. Located off Tower Road and accessible by turning onto Kennestone Hospital Boulevard.
Direct access to:
- All inpatient units
- All critical care units
- Inpatient admissions
- Outpatient registration
- Labor & Delivery
- Women’s Services/Imaging
- Outpatient imaging and lab services
- Outpatient Surgery Center
- Cardiac services
- GI Lab
- Pulmonary services
- Wound Center
- Medical Records
- Care Coordination & Social Services
Valet Parking
Valet parking is available at the main entrance to the hospital on Kennestone Hospital Boulevard for $6. This service is available Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM, excluding holidays. Parking passes are not accepted. Also available at Whitcher Street.
Green Parking Deck
Located off of Church Street by turning onto Whitcher Street. Whitcher Street Physician Center access; also allows access to Whitcher Street bridge to Main Street in the Green Tower.
Cancer Center Parking Deck
Located off of Tower Road by turning onto Kennestone Hospital Boulevard.
Cancer Center visitors—park in Blue Parking Deck and shuttle is provided to Cancer Center. (Monday - Friday: 6:30 AM - 7:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM)
Health Place members—park in Employee Parking Deck, located off of North Avenue. Shuttle is provided to Health Place. (Monday - Friday 7:00 AM - 8:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM)
Emergency Services Parking Lot
15-minute parking available for patient drop-off in front of Emergency Department door. For longer than 15-minutes, parking is located under Emergency Department building. Parking for patients being seen in the Emergency Department. Patient’s vehicle must be moved once the patient is released from the Emergency Department or admitted to the hospital.
Surgery Center Parking Lot
Located off of Church Street. Parking is only for patients scheduled for pre-op testing, general surgery and Vascular Institute procedures. Only one vehicle permitted per patient. Patient’s vehicle must be moved by midnight on the day of surgery.
Café & Bistro Options
Kennestone Café
If you're a visitor who would like to eat in a patient's room, please purchase a guest tray from the cafeteria cashier.
Location
Lower level near Green Tower elevators.
Hours
Monday through Friday: 6:00 AM-8:00 PM and 11:30 PM-3:00 AM
Saturday and Sunday: 7:00 AM-7:00 PM and 11:30 PM-3:00 AM
Tower and Church Bistro
Location
Main level, Purple Tower
Hours
Open daily: 6:00 AM-9:00 PM
Closed on holidays
Calm Water Café
Location
Wellstar Cancer Center
Hours
Monday through Friday: 7:00 AM-3:00 PM
Become a Wellstar Volunteer
Working diligently in virtually every area of our hospital, volunteers are our extra hands and hearts! They play the harp and the piano, provide pet therapy, sing, knit, wash hair, do hand massage, encourage, care, help, smile, serve tea, hold hands, garden and push wheelchairs.
- Wellstar's 1,100 volunteers work more than 200,000 hours a year, representing $3.6 million in donated time.
- Wellstar volunteers also raise money—more than $773,000 each year, helping us buy needed equipment, renovate facilities and educate our patients.
Currently suspended due to COVID-19. Check back for updates.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
Accreditations & Recognition
Rehabilitation Care
- U.S. News & World Report, Nationally Ranked in Adult Specialty, Rehabilitation 2022
Quality & Safety
- U.S. News & World Report, Best Hospitals in Georgia 2020
Heart Care
- Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification by The Joint Commission
- The Joint Commission's Gold Seal Certification for coronary artery bypass, heart valve repair and replacement and heart failure
- Joint Commission certification for CAB and Valve Replacement and Repairs programs
- Level I ECCC Emergency Cardiac Care Center Designation by Georgia Department of Public Health
- Get With The Guidelines® - Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll
- Mission: Lifeline® - STEMI Receiving Center - GOLD by the American Heart Association
- Mission: Lifeline® - NSTEMI - GOLD by the American Heart Association
- Get With The Guidelines - Heart Failure GOLD PLUS with Target: Heart Failure Honor Roll and Target: Type 2 Diabetes Honor Roll by the American Heart Association
- #6 Ranking for Best Hospitals for Cardiology & Heart Surgery in Georgia by by U.S. News and World Report
- Walter F. Johnson IV Chest Pain Observation Unit, low-risk chest pain patients receive rapid triage and treatment
Stroke Care
- Target: Stroke Honor Roll - Elite Plus
- Target: Stroke Honor Roll Advanced Therapy
- Get With The Guidelines: Gold Plus Achievement
- AMSN PRISM Award®
Cancer Care
- GO2 Foundation for Lung Cancer
- Care Continuum Center of Excellence
Critical Care
- Healthgrades, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Critical Care
Pulmonary Care
- Healthgrades, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for Pulmonary Care
GI Care
- Healthgrades, America’s 100 Best Hospitals for GI Care
Surgical Care
- Healthgrades, General Surgery Excellence Award
- Joint Replacement Excellence Award
- Vascular Surgery Excellence Award
Nursing at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital
At Wellstar Kennestone Hospital, it takes a village to deliver personalized care to the community. Our healthcare heroes are more than just nurses, doctors and staff helping people overcome illnesses. We are truly friends caring for friends, family caring for family and neighbors caring for neighbors.
Learn more about the nursing culture at Wellstar Kennestone Hospital