On Monday afternoon, Western Health issued a release saying a visitation ban would continue at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital while there is continuing flu like illness in that area.
However, the health authority is relaxing some of the restrictions for visitors at Western Memorial Regional Hospital.Although visiting hours from 2 to 9 p.m. will be enforced, Western Health says patients can have one designated person, who may stay longer. Volunteer programs will also once again be reinstated.
"Visitation and volunteers play an important role in the provision of health care services. Our visitation policy recognizes this and makes an exception for what we are calling a primary support person, who provides support to the patient beyond what a regular visitor does," says Dr. Minnie Wasmeier, Chief Operating Officer of Secondary Services at Western Health.
The primary support person will be chosen by the patient or their family and will be permitted to stay with the patient outside general visiting hours. The individual may be a close family member or close friend who knows the individual very well. There can be more than one primary care person for each patient, but only one will be able to stay beyond general visiting hours.
Western Health recognizes the role visitors have in the health of a patient, but will be enforcing the visitor's policy to ensure visitors do not impede the work a patient and key health professionals need to do.
"During the day, patients need to have time to get their appropriate care, to work with doctors, social workers, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, and have their lab and x-ray tests done," says Dr. Wasmeier. "This is important so that the patient can get well as soon as possible."
Western Health advises there can be no more that two individuals visiting each patient at one time, including children, who must be supervised by an adult and are only allowed to visit certain areas. The visitor's policy is different at certain units at Western Health facilities, like the Maternal Newborn and Women and Children's Health Units, where family centered care philosophy encourages the primary support person to stay 24 hours a day.
More information about Western Health's general visiting regulations can be found on their website, www.westernhealth.nl.ca and on in-patients units.
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