Windsor Regional Hospital and Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare reinstate no visitor policy

Windsor Regional Hospital Ouellette Campus in Windsor, Ont., on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2021. (Chris Campbell / CTV Windsor)

A no visitor policy will be reinstated at both Windsor Regional Hospital campuses as well as Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare starting Thursday due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.

As of 12:01 a.m. Thursday both hospitals will no longer permit visitors with limited exceptions.

“High patient volumes caused by both non-COVID acute health issues, COVID-19 infectious and COVID-19 recovered patients still needing acute care along with reduced bed capacity caused by suspect COVID-19 patients is challenging the entire regional health care system and we must do what we can to limit the opportunity for further spread of the COVID-19 virus,” a WRH news release said.

The additional visitation restrictions at WRH come days after the hospital had already implemented a no visitor policy for patients who had confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19 on Sunday.

The hospital says the difficult decision was made as a precaution to keep patients, families and health care teams safe as transmission rates rise.

There are limited exceptions to the no visitors policy including:

The policy at Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare does not apply to any end-of-life, palliative patients. Visiting guidelines for these patients remain unchained.

HDGH plans to reinstate its Designated Care Partner (DCP) program which allows for a fully trained person, identified by the family or patient to enter the hospital as part of the patient’s care team.

The WRH is supporting the use of technology for people to connect with their loved ones in the hospital through virtual options such as FaceTime or phone calls.

Windsor Regional Hospital’s visitation policy is available here and Hotel Dieu Grace Healthcare here.