Major changes have taken place at the Pembroke Regional Hospital to protect our health care team and our patients during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The Pembroke Regional Hospital is pleased to share that the Government of Ontario has revoked “Directive 2”, allowing hospitals to begin the gradual ramp up of non-urgent surgeries and procedures based on criteria set out by the province. This is good news for patients who have been waiting for their surgeries to be rescheduled.
Working in collaboration with our surgeons and their staff, PRH is now in the process of implementing its plan to reschedule surgeries as safely and quickly as possible. Care teams are reviewing each patient’s case and will prioritize and reschedule procedures based on their medical need.
Our hospital would like to express our appreciation to those patients whose surgeries and procedures were rescheduled. We recognize that these circumstances have caused stress and frustration but rest assured, we will continue to work with the Ministry of Health, and our regional health partners, to address the backlog.
The Ontario Government has recently announced that hospitals can begin a gradual ramp up of non-urgent care activity. We know that many patients have questions about their surgeries.
We are currently in the first phase of ramp up and this phase does not include surgeries. We are awaiting further guidance on the timing for this. When your surgery is rescheduled, you will be contacted by your care team.
If your health situation changes, please contact your family doctor.
Hospital Access
Access to our hospital for patients is now restricted four public entrances: Emergency Department (24/7), Tower B (7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.), Tower C (7 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Tower D (7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
Please follow the signage posted onsite and be prepared to be screened on arrival for symptoms, travel history and contact history.
Due to COVID-19 safety measures, our cafeteria is currently closed to patients and visitors.
In an effort to protect the health of our patients, staff and community against COVID-19, visitor restrictions are now in place.
Our Visitor Policy (Family Caregiver/Care Partner Presence During COVID-19)
Effective March 28th, admitted patients are able to welcome additional visitors at their bedside as Renfrew County hospitals transition their visitor policies to "Low Pandemic Restrictions".
This means that admitted patients are now able to have two individuals (visitors or essential caregivers / care partners) present at the bedside at the same time, with physical distancing, unless they are on a unit with an outbreak. Under the amended policy, general visitors do not need to be designated but they will still need to be masked for the duration of their visit and they will need to provide proof of vaccination and pass screening upon entry to the hospital.
As hospitals are considered “highest risk” settings, all essential caregivers / care partners and general visitors must comply with all COVID-19 safety measures when visiting PRH. This includes:
In addition, any individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 or displays COVID-19 symptoms must wait 10 days (from date of test and/or onset of symptoms) before coming to the hospital.
Effective Tuesday, February 22nd, admitted patients at PRH will be able to designate two general visitors and two essential caregivers / care partners, for the duration of their stay. Of these, one general visitor will be able to visit per day between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Essential caregivers/care partners (one at a time) may be present at the bedside at the same time as the general visitor.
As a result of continued local and regional transmission of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Pembroke Regional Hospital is required to follow guidelines for those coming to our facility as a visitor, essential caregiver / care partner or patient (non-emergent) in order to help protect those in our care, our workplace and our community.
Like all hospitals, Pembroke Regional Hospital is considered a “highest risk setting” which is why, in alignment with regional recommendations and supported by the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, any individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 or displays COVID-19 symptoms must wait 10 days before coming to the hospital:
• If they have tested positive for COVID-19. They must wait 10 days from the date of the test before coming into the hospital.
• If they have symptoms of COVID-19 but are unable to get a test. They must wait 10 days from the onset of their symptoms before coming into the hospital.
These updated guidelines apply to all individuals, regardless of age or vaccination status, including patients (non-emergent), essential caregivers / care partners and visitors. Please note that this does not apply to patients visiting the emergency department and that other exceptions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the care team.
Those individuals who have scheduled medical appointments at PRH within 10 days of their positive COVID-19 test or onset of symptoms are advised to call for further instruction and rescheduling.
Further Visitor Restrictions Due To Increased Transmission of Omicron Variant December 28, 2021
As a result of increased local and regional transmission of the COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Pembroke Regional Hospital is further restricting visitor presence in order to best protect our patients, staff, physicians and the community.
Aligned with regional recommendations and supported by the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, effective Wednesday, December 29th, PRH will be restricting all general visitors and will only be allowing the presence of one designated essential caregiver / care partner per admitted patient for the duration of their stay except under specific circumstances classified as exceptions.
Those exceptions include:- Those visiting patients at the end-of-life - Labour and Deliver - One support person in the Emergency Department - Parents of children under the age of 18 - Individuals under the age of 12- Individuals who are essential to accompany patients to appointments or participate in the delivery of care- Other critical or urgent circumstances requiring family presence
It should also be noted that all designated essential caregivers / care partners must be fully vaccinated unless they meet an exception criteria and must pass entrance screening prior to entering the hospital.
Recently, the COVID-19 Omicron variant was deemed a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization (WHO) because emerging evidence indicates that the Omicron variant is significantly more transmissible than previous variants of concern.
As a result, and in order to best protect patients, staff, physicians, and our community, the Pembroke Regional Hospital is once again revising its Visitor policy and is adapting the following regional recommendations effective Monday, December 20th:
• Each admitted patient may designate only two visitors and two essential caregivers/care partners for the duration of their stay.
• Only one designated visitor can visit the patient per day.
• Essential caregivers/care partners (only one at a time) may be present the patient’s bedside at the same time as a visitor.
• Unlike essential caregivers/care partners who can be with patients 24/7 as they are assisting in provision of care, visitors can only visit patients between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m.
• The current list of exceptions for essential caregivers/care partners and visitors will be maintained (such as in end-of-life circumstances).
• Outpatients can only bring an essential caregiver/care partner if necessary and if safety can be maintained. It should also be noted that all designated individuals (essential caregivers/care partners and visitors) must be fully vaccinated and pass entrance screening prior to entering the hospital.
Recognizing the impact these changes will have on patients, especially at this time of the year, the hospital will be accepting drop-offs of gifts for patients from friends or loved ones who are not designated visitors. These can be delivered to the screeners at the Tower B (Emergency Department) entrance and must be clearly labeled with regards to who they are for.
It should be noted that gifts such as plants or flowers should be unscented and that home baked or cooked food items cannot be brought into the hospital for or to be shared with staff.
Effective today, patients admitted to the hospital will be permitted up to two individuals (general visitors or essential caregivers/care partners) to be present at the patient’s bedside at the same time.
Visitors and essential caregivers/care partners must continue to follow physical distancing and masking protocols and must continue to provide proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
General visitors are permitted during regular hours of visitation (1130-2030). Both general visitors and essential caregivers/care partners must continue to sign in upon arrival to the unit for contact tracing purposes.
Essential caregivers/care partners should continue to be identified by the patient to facilitate integration and communication.
Special considerations regarding caregivers/care partners and visitors for the following departments/situations remain unchanged from the previous policy:
• Patients within the Emergency Department• Patients admitted to LDRPPlease refer to our website (www.pembrokeregionalhospital.ca) for more details or speak directly with a member of the health care team.
• Patients approaching end of life
As part of our ongoing efforts to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of our patients, the Pembroke Regional Hospital will soon be aligning with other hospitals in the Champlain region by implementing a mandatory vaccination policy for our visitors and essential caregivers / care partners, effective October 15, 2021.
Under the new policy, all hospital visitors and essential caregivers / care partners will need to be fully vaccinated (at least 14 days since the second dose) in order to enter the hospital, unless they qualify under on of the following exceptions:
- Individuals under the age of 12.
- Those who have a documented medical exemption.
- Those visiting patients at the end-of-life.
- Labor and Delivery (Essential caregiver can be unvaccinated. All visitors must be vaccinated.)
- Parents of children under 16 who are receiving care.- Emergency Department (1 support person per patient). - Individuals who are essential to accompany patients to appointments or participate in care planning discussions.- Other critical or urgent circumstances requiring family presence.
In alignment with the new Ontario vaccination passport system, visitors and essential caregivers / care partners will be required to show proof of vaccination along with photo identification.
Mandatory Vaccination Policy For Hospital Visitors, Essential Caregivers, Care Partners Will Be Implemented October 15th at All Renfrew County Hospitals
With regards to the mandatory vaccination policy coming into effect October 15th for hospital visitors, essential caregivers and care partners at all hospitals in Renfrew County, please note the following points of clarification:
- Regardless of vaccination status, no one will be denied care or services at the Pembroke Regional Hospital.
- The new mandatory vaccination policy which will come into effect October 15th ONLY applies to visitors, essential caregivers/ and care partners. The new policy DOES NOT apply to patients.
- There will be a number of exceptions to the new policy. Those exceptions are in the process of being finalized and will be shared by the hospital next week (the week of September 27th).
We appreciate you have questions regarding specific circumstances, and thank you for your patience as we finalize the details which should help address some of the concerns being expressed about the new policy.
With guidance from the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, we will be welcoming additional Caregivers/Care Partners into the hospital for admitted patients effective July 26th.
Patients may identify as many Caregivers/Care Partners as they require to support them throughout their inpatient stay. Caregivers/Care Partners will continue to be identified by patients or substitute decision makers and be provided with the "I am a Caregiver" badge. One Caregiver/Care Partner is eligible to visit daily 24/7. Caregivers/Care Partners must pass entrance screening and will be required to sign in on the inpatient units.
One General Visitor per day will also be permitted between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. General Visitors must pass entrance screening and will be required to sign in on the inpatient units.
Patients who are approaching end of life may have an unlimited number of Caregivers/Care Partners and General Visitors at one time.
With guidance from the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, the Pembroke Regional Hospital will once again be welcoming visitors back into the hospital for admitted patients - one per patient per day during the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. effective June 10th, 2021.
These visitors will be allowed in addition to the patients’ essential caregivers / care partners who have 24/7 access as long as they pass entrance screening. This latest change to the hospital’s visitor policy does not affect outpatient appointments to areas such as the Emergency Department and Ambulatory Clinics where only one essential caregiver/care partner is able to accompany patients as required. Special considerations continue to be in place for patients nearing end of life.
Different from “visitors” in terms of the role that they play, essential caregivers / care partners are designated by the patient – one for the duration of their hospital stay and provide:
• Assistance with meals, mobility and personal care• Communication assistance for patients with hearing, visual, speech, cognitive, intellectual or memory impairments• Assistance as the designated representative for patients with disabilities• Emotional support• Supported decision making
All visitors coming to PRH are required to sign in at the patient’s Nursing Station before the visit can take place.
In addition, all visitors and essential caregivers /care partners must pass the hospital’s entrance screening criteria in order to be allowed to visit and must:
• Be feeling well. • Continuously wear a mask that covers the nose and mouth.• Refrain from bringing in food or drink for consumption since a mask must be worn for the entire duration of the visit. • Remain in the patient’s room and minimize movement within the facility.• Perform hand hygiene (hand washing or using hand sanitizer) when entering and leaving the facility and when entering and leaving the patient’sroom.
If patients admitted to hospital catch COVID-19, they are at a high risk of becoming seriously ill or experiencing serious complications. As a safety measure for our patients, staff and visitors, scheduled/approved visitors must wear masks while indoors at any hospital in the Champlain region. If you are approved to visit, as per hospital policy you will be provided with a procedure mask when you arrive.
Please note:
Thank you for helping us keep everyone in the hospital safe!
Can I visit a friend or loved one in the Hospital?
Patients in Hospital are at extreme risk if exposed to COVID-19, therefore strict restrictions are necessary.PRH may allow designated Family Caregiver/Care Partner(s) to support the patient’s care and mental well-being. The patient and/ or substitute decision maker is the one to decide who they would like to designate as their Family Caregiver/Care Partner. Only one Family Caregiver/Care Partner will be permitted at a time.
In addition to the above, patients may now have one visitor per day between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. and also may have a visit from their clergy/faith leader if the request for this visit has been approved by the Spiritual Care Coordinator and they have passed the screening at the hospital entrance.
Can I accompany a friend or loved one to the Emergency Department or an outpatient appointment?
Patients may designate one essential caregiver / care partner to accompany them while attending an outpatient appointment or the Emergency Department.If you are accompanying a friend or loved one to a same-day procedure or surgery, you may be asked to wait outside or return when the procedure or surgery is complete.If you are accompanying a friend or loved one to the Emergency Department, you may be asked to wait outside until the patient is brought to a designated room/treatment area.
Can I visit a friend or loved one who is dying in hospital?
Yes. Visits need to be coordinated with the care team and the hospital. While it is difficult to be precise around when an individual is at end of life, this generally refers to the last week of life.
What are the Rules for Visiting?
To visit a patient in the Hospital you must:
What can I bring into the Hospital?
For the health and safety of our patients and staff, we ask that you only bring items for patients which can be cleaned or wiped down with Hospital Grade Disinfectant.
For the Maternal Child Care Program:
We are currently allowing an essential caregiver / care partner to accompany you on the unit when you come for an assessment. If you are admitted, you will be allowed to have an additional support person to attend your birth (for a total of two). This support person will be the only person who can come on that day. After day of delivery, if you would like a different support person to come, they can visit during general visiting hours (11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.). This has to be the same person in 24 hours. They cannot change. Please note, if you have a Doula, the Doula will count as your additional support person.
The mother and support person(s) will be screened upon entry into the hospital. If your support person(s) does/do not pass screening, you will be able to choose another support person.
At this time, personal belongings for patients (for activities of daily living as well as minimal personal items) will be permitted into the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic as per the following process for drop off:
Some examples of items for activities of daily living or minimal personal items may include: hearing aids, glasses, dentures, personal brushes, books, electronic devices, slippers, clothes (clothes must be laundered before patient use).
Renfrew County now has a new pandemic healthcare service to strengthen access to primary care and reduce the demand on our region's Emergency Departments.
If you have a health concern, including concerns or questions about COVID-19, and you don't have a family physician or can't access your family physician, call 1-844-727-6404 to connect with care and support from a nurse practitioner, family physician and/or community paramedic. For more information on this service, visit their website at http://www.rcvtac.ca/.
General Information on COVID-19
For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19, visit the Renfrew County and District Health Unit's website at www.rcdhu.com .
For the most up-to-date information about the COVID-19 situation in Ontario, visit www.ontario.ca.
For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 from the World Health Organization (WHO), visit www.who.int
Resource for Ontarians Experiencing Mental Health and Addictions Issues During The Pandemic
Renfrew County COVID-19 Resources and Helpful Information (Grouped by Community)