Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Reminds Community to Plan Ahead before Arriving for Scheduled Tests, Appointments and Visiting Hours
CHATHAM-KENT: March 15, 2020 – Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is reminding the community to plan ahead before arriving to the hospital for scheduled tests, appointments and visits. As part of the organization’s proactive measures in regards to COVID-19, CKHA will be screening all patients, visitors and members of the public upon arrival at the main lobby at its Chatham Site and at the Emergency Department (ED) entrance at its Wallaceburg Site. These are the designated doors for patients who are arriving for scheduled tests and appointments as well as visitors during CKHA’s restricted access measures.
“We are asking everyone with a scheduled appointment to please arrive an extra half hour early in addition to the usual 20-30 minute early arrival request for appointments. With our screening measures now in place, we anticipate individuals will have to wait in line for the screening process before proceeding past the main lobby,” said Lori Marshall, President and CEO, CKHA. “Arriving early will ensure scheduled tests and appointments run on time as usual. This will assist our staff and physicians to keep their work flow on track.”
To reduce traffic in the hospital and in the Emergency Department, any visitors who present during the day at that entrance will be instructed to turn back and proceed to the screening point at the main entrance. A reminder that visiting hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for visitors designated by patients. After 8 p.m., those visiting patients in palliative care, critical care, paediatrics, Level 2 Nursery and emergency are permitted to use the ED doors as these areas fall under the 24 hour visiting exception.
Emergency patients are asked to only use the ED doors and not the front entrance, this ensures a safe arrival to the ED where they can be screened appropriately. Patients attending scheduled tests and appointments who may arrive at the ED doors will be directed by screeners to turn back and present at the front entrance for screening.
“Thank you to our patients, visitors and the general public for your understanding and co-operation during this time. Following our restrictions ensures we protect everyone in our community from the spread of illness as best we can,” said Lori Marshall, President and CEO, CKHA.
CKHA’s visitor restrictions, announced on Friday, March 13 are as follows:
Effective immediately, all inpatients will be asked to identify 2 visitors of their choice for the length of their stay. There will be ONLY ONE (1) visitor at a time permitted at the bedside except:
- TWO visitors for paediatric patients
- TWO visitors for Level 2 Nursery
- TWO visitors for palliative patients***
NO OTHER VISITORS WILL BE PERMITTED. NO VISITORS UNDER 18 YEARS OF AGE WILL BE PERMITTED.
The one visitor per patient also applies to individuals who may be accompanying a patient for an outpatient visit/procedure or diagnostic test. Likewise, labouring women may have one support person in the delivery room.
*** We are prepared to make special exceptions to the visitor policies above on compassionate grounds, but only at the request and approval by the patient, and in consultation with the care team and our infection control team.
Visiting hours will be altered to 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, with 24-hour visitation still permitted for palliative care, critical care, paediatrics, Level 2 Nursery and the Emergency Department.
We ask that families and friends designate ONE or TWO individuals to be the visitors per patient throughout that patient’s stay in hospital. We also ask that you do NOT visit if you have travelled outside of Canada over the past 14 days, or have been in contact with someone who has, and/or you are feeling ill yourself.
-30-
About CKHA
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) is a 200 bed community hospital, serving the residents of Chatham and rural Kent including Walpole Island and Delaware First Nations. Formed in 2018, CKHA is committed to delivering quality and safe care at its two sites in Chatham and Wallaceburg. CKHA collaborates with other partners to deliver care across its community. CKHA’s dedicated team is comprised of approximately 1,400 staff, 200 physicians and 300 volunteers. CKHA provides a full range of programs, services and specialties from internal medicine and surgery to women & children’s and critical care; it is designated a schedule one facility under the Ministry of Health and cares for tens of thousands of inpatients, outpatients and emergency patients annually. CKHA is equipped with state of the art diagnostics and technology to support its varied programs. CKHA’s vision: Together, growing a healthier community, underscores a movement to improving the population’s health. Grounded by its values “CKHA CARES” (Collaboration, Accountability, Respect, Excellence, Safety), CKHA commits to continuously improve the patient experience in partnership with patients, families and caregivers. For more information, click here to read CKHA’s Fast Facts.
For more information please contact:
Emily Field, Communications Specialist
Chatham-Kent Health Alliance
