GBGH continues gradual expansion of visitation
September 8, 2020 – Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH) is continuing to gradually expand hospital visitation to enhance the patient experience. Effective September 8, GBGH is allowing two visitors at a time for inpatients within the set visiting hours of 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. This is an increase from one visitor per patient per day. Inpatient visits will also no longer need to be booked in advance during specific blocks of time.
“We are re-opening visitation in a slow, phased approach to ensure we can maintain the safety of our patients and GBGH team,” says Gail Hunt, president and CEO, GBGH. “The ideal scenario would be to resume unlimited family presence, meaning patients can have visitors 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Unfortunately, that’s just not possible at this time, but this is a positive step forward to ensuring patients can see their loved ones which we know improves their experience and outcomes.”
Emergency department patients may have one visitor remain with them if support is required. Circumstances where support could be required include:
- Pediatric patients – i.e. children under 18 (one guardian permitted with child)
- Language barrier (translation required)
- Mental health/competency/confusion challenges
- Palliative
Patients attending the hospital for scheduled appointments or procedures may have one visitor accompany them if support is required for similar reasons as in the Emergency department (listed above).
All permitted visitors will continue to be screened upon entering the hospital. Any visitor who screens positive for COVID-19 symptoms will be asked to not visit. In exceptional circumstances (such as a support person for a woman in labour, a parent/guardian of a child in the Emergency department or a palliative/end of life patient), a visitor who screens positive for symptoms will be reviewed by GBGH’s infection prevention and control practitioner or hospital coordinator prior to entry.
All visitors must comply with hand hygiene practices, wear a hospital-provided mask and follow physical distancing. Visitors could also be asked to wear additional personal protective equipment as determined by the care team based on a patients’ condition.
Visitor guidelines are subject to change based on the status of the pandemic within the region GBGH serves.
For more information, please visit https://gbgh.on.ca/covid-19-visitor-restrictions/.
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Contact:
Jennifer Moore
Communications Officer, GBGH
705-526-1300 ext 5177