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COVID-19 Information for Our Patients & Visitors

We want to assure you that there is a dedicated team of professionals at our hospital who have the passion, expertise, and focus to care for our communities. Our goal is to care for the sick, keep our workforce healthy, and prevent the spread of COVID-19 across our hospitals. We are following the guidance from our local Public Health officials and directives from the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

 

 

Effective Monday, November 21, 2022 you will need to complete the pre-screening/self-screening process. 

Click here for the PSFDH self-screening questions.
 

Coming to Our Hospitals

The primary entry point is located at the Emergency Department entrance at both the Smiths Falls and GWM sites.  It is open 24 hours per day/7 days per week.

 

Perth (GWM) Site*: 

A second entry point at the Perth site at the Main Entrance on Drummond Street is open for people arriving for non-emergent type visits (clinic appointment, arranged visit with in-patient or other scheduled routine hospital business).  It is accessible Monday to Friday from 7 am to 4 pm.  The entrance is not accessible after 4 p.m. or on weekends.

 

Smiths Falls Site*: 

A second entry point at the Smiths Falls Site at the Main Entrance on Elmsley Street is open for people arriving for non-emergent type visits (clinic appointment, arranged visit with in-patient or other scheduled routine hospital business). It is accessible Monday to Friday from 7 am to 4 pm.  The entrance is not accessible after 4 p.m. or on weekends.

 

*Please note that these are drop off and pick up areas only. For safety reasons, parking or extended waiting in a drop off/pick-up area is NOT permitted.

 

Visitors to PSFDH

The Perth and Smiths Falls District Hospital regularly reviews its COVID-19 related policies and changes are based on factors such as prevalence of COVID-19 in our community.

Keeping our sites and services safe for our patients, volunteers, staff and physicians means all designated family/support persons and visitors must adhere to our hospital’s policies.

Here is what you need to know before you visit:

• An appointment or pre-booking is no longer required.
• Visiting Hours are at any time.  If you visit "after hours", you are asked to sign-in upon arrival. 
• Two (2) persons only per patient at a time is permitted. Note, for palliative and compassionate reasons, in-patients may have additional visitors at one time.
• There is no limit to how long you can visit but we ask that you keep in mind the rest that in-patients require.
• Masking continues to be required for all visitors/support persons and caregivers in all areas of the hospital including patient rooms.
• Visitors are no longer required to be vaccinated but we ask that you self-screen before considering a visit. If you are not feeling well, we respectfully request that you attend at another time. This will help keep our patients, hospital team members and environment safe.
• You must pass screening when you present at either site and wear a hospital provided mask upon entry.

Please,

• do not visit the hospital if you are feeling unwell (for example, have a cold or flu) or have been near someone else who is ill. We want our patients to have every chance to get well. Wait until all symptoms have resolved before coming to visit.
• practice continuous masking and follow all precautions as directed by staff.
• use hand sanitizer or wash your hands (referred to as hand hygiene) when entering and exiting the hospital, after using a washroom, and when entering or exiting the patient room.
• physically distance from anyone not from their household while at the site. This may limit the number of people who can be in an area (for example, at a patient's bedside) at one time.
• minimize movement throughout the site (for example no visiting any other rooms/patients while visiting) to prevent transmission.

If Patient is Suspect/COVID positive:

• Visitors will be restricted from visiting suspect /COVID positive patients.
• Suspect COVID patients can resume visitors once they are no longer a COVID suspect.
• Visitors will be restricted for COVID positive patients for 10 days following a positive PCR test. If the patient is immunocompromised, visitors will be restricted for 20 days following a positive PCR test.

For compassionate and critical reasons:  On a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of Charge/Resource Nurse, visitors are permitted to visit COVID positive patient(s) provided they wear full Personal Protective Equipment, adhere to keeping on their masks for the entire visit and not visiting any other rooms/patients while visiting.    

 

As always, virtual visits are encouraged and welcomed when an in-person visit is not possible. Patients and families can connect online using their personal communication devices (phone, tablet, etc.) at a time that may be more suitable.  You can also send an online greeting to an inpatient.  Click here. 

 

Attending the Emergency Department:

The Emergency Department (ED) can be extremely busy with high volumes, which can quickly result in physical crowding.  The Care team will work collaboratively with the family regarding visit/support.  Please note that the Care Team has discretion to restrict family presence as needed in the interests of safety and patient care.

 

• Parents/guardians may continue to attend Emergency with their children/youth.
• Persons seeking medical care are encouraged to attend alone, unless a support person is critical to your visit (example, cogitative or mobility issues, a child/youth). This will help minimize crowding in our waiting areas.

Virtual visits continue to be encouraged and welcomed. Patients and families can connect online using their personal communication devices (phone, tablet, etc.) at a time that may be more suitable. You can also send an inpatient an online greeting.

 

Our Emergency Departments remain open and ready to support your medical needs.

We appreciate your ongoing patience, understanding and adherence to our guidelines. These guidelines are essential to help us protect the hospital, our patients and our community. We continue to monitor the situation and change our policies as the hospital continues to implement a carefully thought out and measured approach focusing on safety and quality of care.

 

We know that you may want to deliver items in lieu of a visit.  Unfortunately, PSFDH staff are only able to assist with distributing essential items and not able to accept non-essential items or gifts or flower deliveries.  Please note that the items brought to your loved one must be "wipeable" to support our stringent infection control practices. 

 

Essential items include,

• Glasses
• Hearing aids, Hearing Aid Batteries
• Dentures, Denture Adhesive, Denture Cleaner
• Medications
• Shoes for rehabilitation and Socks
• Clothes on the day of discharge (no earlier)
• Communication device such as iPad, tablet, laptop, cell phone or similar (items that staff can wipe down) [Don’t forget the charging cord]. PSFDH has WIFI connection for the patients to use.
• Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Shampoo
• Robe, Under Garments- bra and underwear
• Electric Shaver
• Pen
• Comb or Brush

• CPAP Machines

• Walking Aids
• Food for individual patient in wipeable/disposable container clearly indicating the date prepared and patient's name

How you can drop off essential items:

• Items are to be brought to the appropriate site via the Emergency Department – staff at the screening desk will have an approved drop off list that they will use to decide whether your items are allowed.  Please note: this list is created by management and the screening desk only follows what management has guided.
• Essential items must be placed in a plastic bag.
• Please label the bag with the recipient’s name clearly legible.
• If known, provide your loved one’s room number.

Obstetrical/Birthing Unit (Labour and Delivery)

 

Support Person – Required to pass screening

• One identified support person can stay with the patient throughout triage, labour and delivery (including Operating Room as needed). See FAQs at top of page.
• Entry and re-entry to hospital will be limited to essential reasons.

Visitor (second support person, such as a doula) – Required to complete and pass screening prior to coming to the hospital.

 

Two (2) visitors can be identified by the patient, in addition to the primary support person, during labour and delivery:

 

No exchanges.

 

• No children under age 18
• Approved by the Obstetrician
• Can only come in when patient has been admitted to the Birth Unit
• Must leave when patient is in the post-partum phase of their stay in hospital (see post-partum visitation below)
• May not enter the Operating Room or the Recovery Room in the case of a C-section.

Birthing Unit (Post-partum)

• The support person identified in labour can stay 24 hours a day with patient until discharge. 
• The visitor may to stay up to 2 hours and will be booked between the hours of 8:00-20:00 (8:00-8:00) with the OBS nurses.
• The area of visiting is limited to the patient room.
• Siblings may visit and must remain in patients room at all times. No other children will be permitted.
  

To encourage safe social distancing practices, walking in the hallways or inpatient care areas is not permitted and movement in the hospital should be limited.

 

We appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone and we sincerely thank you for your ongoing patience, understanding and adherence to our guidelines.  These guidelines are essential to help us protect the hospital, our patients and our community.  We continue to monitor the evolving situation and change our policies as the hospital continues to implement a carefully thought out and measured approach focusing on safety and quality of care.  

Helping a Patient to their Appointment

As we continue to open access to our hospital, PSFDH recognizes that there are times when a patient may wish to bring a support person to appointments in outpatient areas and services such as the Emergency Department, Diagnostic Imaging, Dialysis, Out-Patient Rehabilitation, Out-Patient operating room procedures and ambulatory care clinics. Please note that all support persons must pass screening before entering the building and abide by hospital Infection Control practices. As a support person you will need to remain in the specific appointment area with the patient.

 

Scheduled Surgery and Procedures

What can you expect with the scheduling of your surgery or procedure?

• You will receive a phone call from a Pre-Operative Nurse up to (four) 4 days before your surgery. The Pre-Operative Nurse will ask you screening questions for Covid-19.  The Pre-Operative Nurse will provide you with the information required for the day of your surgery in the same phone call. 
• You will self-screen a second time when you enter the hospital where you will change your mask or wear a hospital-issued mask and wash your hands with hand sanitizer.
• You are then directed to registration where you will present your Health Card.
• You will be screened a third time while in the procedure’s waiting area.
• Mandatory physical distancing precautions are in place and are to be respected at all times. Waiting areas have been reconfigured to support these measures.

Our hospital is taking every possible measure to ensure patient and staff safety. People are reminded that if you require

urgent/emergent care, please go to your nearest Emergency Department or call 911.

 

COVID-19 Assessment Centre 

It is important you obtain up-to-date information from credible information sources. Helpful information is found at: 

• Public Health Ontario
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit
• Ministry of Health