Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Updates Visitor Restrictions for COVID-19 Pending Patients

CHATHAM-KENT: August 5, 2020 – Chatham-Kent Health Alliance (CKHA) continues to review the visitor restrictions policy implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and re-assess based on the current situation.  With the recent increase in local COVID-19 positive cases, CKHA has updated its visitor restrictions policy for patients pending a COVID-19 test result.  Visiting restrictions remain in effect for COVID-19 positive patients in that there will be NO visitors permitted to a confirmed COVID-19 positive patient, regardless of condition.  As well, due to increased prevalence in the community at this time, visitors WILL NOT be permitted to a patient with a pending COVID-19 test result. 

All other visitor restrictions and exceptions remain in that inpatients will be permitted ONE visitor per day who will be allowed to visit from 3:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.  The visitor must check in to the nurses’ station prior to visiting.  A hospital-wide announcement will indicate when visiting hours are over.  Visiting outside of the specified visiting hours is permitted for patients who are designated by the clinical provider as actively dying or palliative.  This exception must be approved by the care team first.  Depending on the time of day, the care team will provide direction on which CKHA entrance to access.

Please also see some minor modifications on the other exceptions to CKHA’s visiting policy:

• An inpatient who is actively dying, as determined by the clinical provider, may have no more than two visitors present at a time.
• An inpatient who is considered palliative, as determined by the clinical provider, may have one visitor present at a time.
• Inpatients or outpatients who require significant support whose absence may negatively impact the provision of safe care, at the direction of the clinical provider/team, may be accompanied by one support person.
• Paediatric patients may be accompanied by one adult visitor.
• Women in active labour/post-partum may be accompanied by one adult visitor.
• In the Emergency Department (ED):

• A patient who is at imminent risk of dying may have a loved one present with them during their ED stay.
• Patients with cognitive or mobility difficulties may be accompanied by one person during their ED stay.
• Paediatric patients in the ED are permitted to be accompanied by one adult.

As is the current practice, visitors will be screened at the main entrance at the Chatham Site and Emergency Department entrance at the Wallaceburg Site and if they fail screening, they will be denied entry into the hospital.  No children under the age of 18 are permitted to visit.  All visitors must wear a mask and/or additional Personal Protective Equipment as required, practice frequent hand-washing and will be restricted to visitation in the patient’s room with no access to any common areas including the Cafeteria or Tim Horton’s.  Out of an abundance of caution, CKHA asks that if you have a loved one in hospital and will be visiting daily/frequently, to try to limit your movement throughout the community as much as possible to avoid the potential spread of illness.  If a patient or loved one/advocate wishes to appeal the visitation policy, they should discuss with the care team.