Coming to the Hospital

Preparing for Visitation at CCH...

effective september 27, 2021: full restrictions for hospital visitation

CCH is continually monitoring the prevalence of COVID-19 locally and evaluating changes to its visitation policies based on guidance received by the provincial government.

Who can visit the hospital in FULL RESTRICTIONS?


Medical, Surgical, ALC, Rehab, Mental Health, and Gynecology Patients:

  • 1 essential visitor/care partner can be scheduled to visit per day, up to 1 hour

Critical Care Patients:

  • 1 essential visitor/care partner can be scheduled to visit per day, up to 2 hours 

Women and Children's Health: 

  • Women in labour can identify 1 essential care partner for the birth and delivery and stay within the department, this person will remain in the room with mom and baby for the duration of the admission. Meals will be provided. Please bring non-perishable snacks, infant car seat and all other items needed for your stay when you come. In and out privileges must be in collaboration with nurses and for urgent circumstances only. The alternative would be the same visitation permissions as other departments: scheduling to arrange a daily 1-person visit.
  • Pediatric patients (0-17 years old) can have 1 legal guardian stay 24/7. Parents or legal guardians can make arrangements with nurses to switch out and relieve each other, however no other visitors are permitted. In and out privileges are allowed in collaboration with nurses for urgent circumstances only.

Only essential visitors or care partners who meet the criteria for exceptional circumstances are allowed to accompany for the following types of patients:

  • Emergency Department
  • Ambulatory Clinic
  • Chemotherapy
  • Day Surgey / Same Day Surgery
  • Dialysis
  • Endoscopy
  • Outpatient Mental Health
  • LAI Clinic
Exceptional Circumstances Include:

It is recognized that there are situations where essential visitors/care partners require additional access to a patient. These situations include, but are not limited to, patients who are children/youth, are palliative or actively dying (as determined by a physician), have cognitive, mobility, and or communication impairments, or require a translator.  Some patients coming to the hospital for outpatient appointments/procedures may bring an escort, as determined on a case-by-case basis.

  • Parents of children under the age of 18
  • End-of-life care
  • Individuals who are essential to accompany patients to appointments or participate in their care, as an example, chemo patients, patient with cognition related concerns
  • Other critical or urgent circumstances requiring family presence and coordinated by the care team
  • Partner/spouse of patients having obstetrical ultrasounds 

COVID-19 Vaccination Policy for Visitors Coming Soon:

In the coming weeks, hospitals in the region will begin requiring proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for visitors entering the hospital. CCH is currently putting in place plans to implement this direction and will be sharing more details soon. Please note: this is not set to begin on September 27. We will continue to safely make exceptions for compassionate reasons. This policy would not apply to our patients.

 

For more information or to book an appointment for visiting, please call 613-938-4240 ext. 4778 between 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 

***Please scroll down to find “exceptional circumstances” and “department-specific” details below for more information.

Based on public health guidelines, the following items are now considered best practice to protect patients and essential care partners/visitors during visitation:

  1. Wearing a medical-grade mask during visitation (a medical-grade mask will now be provided for you at CCH).
  2. Public health guidelines also currently recommend wearing safety glasses during visitation.
    • Please note that essential care partners/ visitors are still entitled to visitation even if they do not have safety glasses.
    • Due to limited supply for staff, CCH is unable to provide safety glasses for visitation. To comply with this best practice recommended by public health, care partners/visitors are encouraged to provide their own safety glasses.
For more information about public health guidelines, please visit the EOHU website or call 1-800 267-7120.
 

To book an appointment for visiting, please call 613-938-4240 ext. 4778 between 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.  An appointment is REQUIRED.

Who can visit at CCH?

Family and essential care partners are an important part of each patient’s care team and family presence is important to the recovery of patients in the hospital. We are asking patients to identify essential care partners/ visitors.

Who is an “Essential Care Partner / Visitor”?

These are individuals who have been identified by the patient as support persons. If the patient is not capable of designating their essential care partners/ visitors their Substitute Decision Maker (as defined by the Province of Ontario) can make the designation.

Three restriction levels may affect visitation during COVID-19:

Full Restrictions: 1 identified essential care partner/visitor.
Moderate Restrictions: up to 2 identified essential care partners/visitors (for most departments).
Low Restrictions: up to 3 identified essential care partners/visitors (for most departments).

 

  

Virtual Family Visits are Always an Option!

Using Your Own Device:

With visiting restrictions in effect, we encourage families to reach out to their loved ones who are staying at the hospital, by using their own device for a virtual visit.

Using a CCH device:

If your loved one at the hospital does not have access to a device like a tablet or a smartphone, Cornwall Hospital can help by lending a hospital-owned tablet to facilitate a virtual visit!

What you need for a Virtual Family Visit:

  • A valid email address
  • A computer/tablet or phone with a camera and microphone
  • The Zoom App

A request to set up a virtual visit can be made by emailing virtual.visit@cornwallhospital.ca or by calling 613-938-4240 ext: 4740 and is available between the hours of 8h00 and 16h00 7 days a week. Information like the patient’s room number/name and time of the desired visit are helpful details to include when communicating.