At Osler we understand the importance of family presence in a patient’s healing and well-being. We continually re-evaluate and revise our Visitor and Essential Care Partner Policy with the goal of always balancing the needs of our patients and their loved ones with the health and safety of all those who are cared for, work or volunteer at Osler.
For individuals unable to visit their loved ones in person, Osler offers a greeting card delivery service for inpatients at Brampton Civic and Etobicoke General. Please complete our greeting card request form and one of our volunteers will make arrangements to deliver the greeting card to your loved one.
As we continue to return to normal operations and pre-pandemic practices, Osler has transitioned its masking policy in order to align with other acute care facilities in Ontario. Patients and visitors are no longer required to wear a mask while onsite at Osler with the exception of specific clinical situations. Osler continues to support a mask-friendly environment and encourages masking. Masks will be available at all Osler site entrances as well as on clinical units.
Visitor and Essential Care Partner Policy |
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Our Visitor and Essential Care Partner Policy is as follows (see COVID-19 and outbreak policy exceptions below):
Visitors may be asked to wait in common areas such as our cafeterias or lobby areas due to the space limitations in many of our outpatient wait rooms. When possible, if support isn't needed, we ask that outpatients be dropped off and picked up. Do all units/Osler sites have the same visiting hours?While the visiting hours for most units/Osler sites are 24 hours a day, seven days a week, there are the following exceptions:
Please note that visitations are restricted on our mental health units to promote and increase participation in the therapeutic treatment groups/programs. Are there situations in which I may be asked to delay or stagger my visit?Yes, the clinical team may ask visitors to wait elsewhere if there are too many people in a room or if there is private care being provided or an urgent need for extra staff to respond to patient care needs. Can I visit someone who is COVID-19 positive or is suspected of being COVID-19 positive?Visitors cannot visit with the exception of those visiting a patient at end of life. One approved ECP can visit to provide fundamental care needs. Those approved must:
Can I visit someone who is on a unit that has a declared outbreak?Visitors cannot visit any unit experiencing an outbreak with the exception of those who are visiting a patient at end of life. One approved ECP can visit to provide fundamental care needs. Those approved must:
What guidelines need to be followed when visiting?If you feel unwell with either a persistent cough, shortness of breath, fever, soar throat, or flu-like symptoms or if you have been in contact with a family member (or recent contact) who is self-isolating or has been diagnosed with COVID-19, you should not visit. All visitors are asked to clean their hands frequently and maintain physical distance from others when possible (masks are optional). ECPs assisting with direct care needs could be asked to implement additional precautions. |
Essential care partners |
What is an ECP?An ECP is an essential care partner, usually a family member or friend, who helps support patient care at the bedside, typically for patients at risk of falling and/or who need support in three or more areas of activities of daily living (e.g., eating, going to the bathroom, mobility, cognitive support, etc.). The decision as to whether or not a patient needs an ECP is determined in consultation with the patient’s clinical team. The ECP must be approved by the clinical manager. Is there a special weekly or monthly parking rate for ECPs?Osler offers five-day, 10-day and 30-day flex passes. Each pass includes unlimited in and out privileges over a 24-hour period. Passes can be transferred between ECPs caring for the same patient (ECP and one alternate)
For more information and for rates, see directions and parking. |
Virtual visitation |
Is virtual visitation available?Yes, patients can use their own mobile devices through free guest access hospital-wide WiFi – available at all three hospital sites. We encourage patients to use their mobile devices for Skype, FaceTime and WhatsApp for virtual visits. Patients can also use Family Chat on the Integrated Bedside Terminals (IBT) available in the patient rooms and all units have unit iPads with licensed Zoom that can be used for virtual visitation. To connect with your loved one through Family Chat, you will need to know the Location ID of the IBT. Connect with a patient at Brampton Civic If you are using a computer or laptop, the supported browsers are Chrome, Edge and Opera. Currently, only mobile devices with the Android 10+ operating system with Chrome are supported. Please note that if the patient’s bed location changes, so will their Location ID. Are there any guidelines I need to follow during a virtual visit?Electronic communication is vulnerable to cyber risk. To ensure the privacy and security of patients, virtual visits may not be used for discussions with the health care team. If you have questions for the health care team regarding your loved one’s care, please speak with members of the health care team separately via telephone. To protect the privacy of all involved, the recording of virtual visits is prohibited. In certain circumstances, there may be the need to conclude a virtual visit to protect the privacy of others. |
