We recognize the importance of patients having loved ones by their side during their stay with us; using the Provincial Roadmap to Re-opening as a guide, we will reduce some of the restrictions we have in place for essential visitors.
To keep everyone that works and receives care here safe, we have revised our visiting guidelines to include:
- A clear definition as to what an essential visitor is:
- Essential visitors are those allowed to access the hospital in situations based on compassionate care; visits that are paramount to a patient’s fundamental care needs, mental health and emotional support; enable processes of care and patient flow; and discharge from the hospital.
- We ask that essential visitors on Inpatient Units schedule their visit with the care team in advance.
- Visiting times will be extended and include:
- Inpatient Units & ICU (Daily) from 10am – 12pm, 2pm – 4pm and 6pm-8pm
- ICU (Daily) 24 hours a day for critical care patients only
- Palliative patients (Daily) 24 hours a day
- Ambulatory Care (Daily) from 8am – 4pm
- Dialysis
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 7am – 11pm
- Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday from 7am – 6pm
- Obstetrics (Daily) 24 hours a day
- We will review all patients coming to the Emergency Department as they arrive.
- Patients attending an appointment or procedure in Ambulatory Care, Diagnostic Imaging or Day Surgery who require an essential visitor can inform their physicians office when booking an appointment so that they will be on the list.
- Our main entrance will be the point of entry for all visitors. They will need to successfully pass our COVID-19 screening and be given a hospital mask which we ask be kept on at all times.
- We ask that essential visitors proceed to and stay with the patient they are visiting.
- An appeals process is available for people who are declined visitation as part of the policy. This option will be shared with people if their request is denied. More information is available on our website.
We will continue to follow the Provincial Roadmap to Reopening to determine when we can move into the next stage of our gradual resumption plan and further open visitation.
It has been a long road, and this is welcomed news and a sign that we are headed in the right direction.
Thank You.
Kim Delahunt, President & CEO and Dr. Peter Cino, Chief of Staff & Vice President, Medical Affairs