March 10, 2009 -- Beginning April 1, 2009, Rouge Valley Health System will shift from its current open visiting hours policy to standard visiting hours.

“The reasons for this change are to improve patient recovery and safety, plus staff safety and hospital security. Rouge Valley has had a unique open visiting hours policy in place for the last few years. While the concept was positive, it had unintended negative impacts such as patients being tired out by their own visitors or by those of other patients. It was also difficult to track people coming in and out of our hospital campuses,” says Janet Harris, vice-president of quality, risk, professional practice and chief nursing executive.

“Most people will find our new visiting hours to be what they would generally expect of a community hospital, as we will now mirror the hours used by most hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area,” she adds.

- 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. -

The revised visiting hours will be from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and will include a two-visitors-at-a-time policy. In the Emergency Departments, only one visitor per patient will be allowed. At 9 p.m. each day, an announcement on the hospital's public address system at both Rouge Valley campuses - at Centenary and at Ajax and Pickering - will advise visitors that general visiting hours have ended for the day. In special circumstances (e.g. paediatrics, palliative care, complex continuing care) when patients need a family member with them overnight, a visitor's pass may be issued.

Some areas of the hospital have special visiting hours, such as: labour and delivery, paediatrics, mental health, complex continuing care, intensive care units (ICU) and cardiac care units (CCU). Staff will communicate the specific visiting hours to people in these areas.

This change to standard visiting hours has been reviewed by staff, management, a committee of the hospital Board, and with the hospital's Community Advisory Group.

Rouge Valley Health System (RVHS) - The best at what we do

RVHS is an excellent acute care community hospital with many programs, including 24/7/365 emergency, cardiac care and mental health. Rouge Valley consists of several health sites, including two community hospital campuses: Rouge Valley Centenary in east Toronto; and Rouge Valley Ajax and Pickering in west Durham. Together, a team of physicians (224 general practitioners and 325 specialists), 1,000 nurses and many other professionals care for a broad spectrum of health conditions. Working in consultation and partnership with community members, other hospitals, health care organizations, the Central East Local Health Integration Network and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Rouge Valley continues to improve its programs and cater to the needs of the growing communities of east Toronto, Ajax, Pickering and Whitby.

Contact:
David Brazeau
Director
Public Affairs and Community Relations
Rouge Valley Health System
(647) 294-8885
dbrazeau@rougevalley.ca