VISITING RESTRICTIONS AND CHANGES TO OUTPATIENT APPOINTMENTS

Blind River, ON – The North Shore Health Network continues to protect the health and safety of patients, residents, clients and workers against COVID-19. In response to the upcoming province-wide lockdown, effective Wednesday December 23, 2020:

·         No general visitors are permitted in Emergency Departments (All Sites) or Acute Care (Blind River), with exceptions* only for Essential Visitors (caregivers or patients requiring end-of-life care).

o   1 Designated Essential Visitor, and 1 Alternate Designated Essential Visitor assigned in conjunction with the patient and family.

o   The care team will establish an appropriate visiting schedule. NSHN will have discretion to restrict the length of visits and/or the numbers of visitors.

o   All essential visitors are subject to screening protocols.

IN ADDITION –If you have traveled outside of Algoma in the past 14 days:

§  You will not be permitted to visit. Exceptions will only be made for compassionate reasons.

§  You may be directed to contact a COVID-19 Assessment Centre.

·         All routine appointments for Laboratory, Medical Imaging or Physiotherapy services are cancelled during Lockdown. Appointments will be rescheduled following the lockdown period.

o   Laboratory: Essential testing ONLY available by appointment between 7:30 am and 12:00 pm Monday – Friday. Patients are asked to call 1-705-356-2265 or toll-free 1-888-425-0321 Ext. 2660 and clearly provide your name and best daytime telephone number on the messaging service.

o   Medical Imaging: Services will only be provided for life-threatening and essential emergencies. To schedule an appointment for an urgent service, please contact the department 705-356-2265 ext. 2570.

o   Physiotherapy: Essential services only, including patients who require urgent rehabilitation (e.g. after surgery, cast removal, sudden increase in falls) to avoid visits to the Emergency Department. Patients must contact the department at 705-356-2265 ext. 2480.

o   Nurse Practitioner Clinic: Patient visits will take place virtually or by phone. Orphan patients (individuals who do not have a family provider) may also access this service. To book an appointment please call 705-356-2265 ext. 2616 and leave your name and contact information, or send an email to NPprogram@nshn.care.^ 

Outpatients who require assistance and are attending the hospital for scheduled appointments are permitted to have 1 person accompany them.

Effective December 26, 2020, the following changes apply to Long-Term Care:

• No general visitors are permitted, with exceptions only for Essential Visitors & Designated Caregivers.

  • Maximum 2 designated caregivers per resident. 1 Caregiver per resident may visit at a time.

    Must provide proof of negative COVID-19 test result in the past week; must verbally attest to not subsequently testing positive.

  • NSHN will have discretion to restrict the length of visits and/or the numbers of visitors in the home.

  • All essential visitors are subject to screening protocols.

·         Residents will need to remain in the home for the duration of the Lockdown.

·         As more direction is provided from the Ministry of Long-Term Care – NSHN will provide updates as required.

Any visitor who fails the symptom screening questions will not be permitted to visit until they are symptom free for 48 hours and receive a negative COVID-19 test result. Patients who are tested for COVID-19 will not be permitted visitors until a negative test result is back unless the patient is requiring end-of-life care. Where it is not possible or advisable for in-person visits, NSHN will continue to offer the Virtual Visiting Program.

All visitors will be screened at the Main Entrance, asked to perform hand hygiene and wear a mask. Clean handmade cloth masks are acceptable; where cloth masks are not acceptable, NSHN will advise visitors and provide a surgical / procedure mask. 

To book a COVID-19 test, please contact the NSHN COVID-19 Assessment Centre at 705-356-2265 or 1-888-425-0321 ext. 2661 (Blind River) or ext. 2662 (Thessalon) or visit: www.nshn.care/covid19.

The North Shore Health Network thanks you for treating our workers with respect. No worker should be subjected to violent, threatening and/or abusive behaviour. Any such behaviour may result in the loss of access to visiting or services.

-30-

For further information, contact:

Melanie Kubatlija, Corporate Strategy, Risk & Communications

mkubatlija@nshn.care; 705-356-2265 ext. 2744

 *For more information on NSHN visiting policies, please visit: https://www.nshn.care/visiting-policies

^Note:  There is a risk associated with using a non-secured email address i.e. Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail etc.  NSHN cannot be held responsible should you choose to communicate with NSHN via email.