Enhanced screening at Wallaceburg & Chatham hospitals

The 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,” stated Lori Marshall, President and CEO of the CKHA, in a media release.

“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. 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, CKHA officials say.

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,” Marshall added.

“Following our restrictions ensures we protect everyone in our community from the spread of illness as best we can.

CKHA’s visitor restrictions, announced on Friday, March 13 are as follows:

Effective immediately, all inpatients will be asked to identify two visitors of their choice for the length of their stay.

There will be ONLY ONE 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.

The CKHA is 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 the CKHA 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.

The CKHS is asking that families and friends designate one or two individuals to be the visitors per patient throughout that patient’s stay in hospital.

The CKHA is also asking 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.

Dr. David Colby, Chatham-Kent’s Medical Officer of Health, ordered various measures on Friday, March 13 to control the spread of COVID-19 and he also declared a local emergency as a result. Details, here & here.

The World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 as a pandemic on Wednesday. Details, here.

For a list of local, cancellations, postponement and further updates, click here.

- Advertisment -