(Updated October 21, 2021)
Grand River Hospital (GRH) is taking an additional step to ensure the health and safety of staff, patients and the community by implementing a vaccine process for care partners who come to the hospital to support the care of patients.
Starting Tuesday, November 9, 2021 care partners arriving to visit with, or accompany a patient will be asked to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, along with government issued identification. There will be few exceptions to this guidance.
“Care partners are an integral part of a patient’s journey,” says Bonnie Camm, Executive vice president of clinical services at Grand River Hospital. “We want to enable that level of support, while ensuring that we incorporate this additional measure to protect the health and wellness of patients, staff and our community.”
Friday, October 22: To provide sufficient notice, screeners at hospital entrances will begin asking care partners to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination and government-issued ID. However, no approved care partners will be turned away from visiting at this time.
Tuesday, November 9: Care partners will be asked to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination as well as government issued ID to accompany or visit a patient. There will be few exceptions to this new process.
Care partners that are fully vaccinated will be able to proceed to their visit or accompany their loved one. Care partners that are not fully vaccinated but have been approved as an exception will be permitted to visit and escorted to their visit appointment by a hospital staff member. Exceptions will be determined on a case by case basis.
Care partners are individuals identified by patients or substitute decision makers as being essential for their well-being and providing direction in their care, and/or whose presence enhances their stay and contributes positively to their overall healing process. Visitors are those who want to provide well wishes and are not yet allowed to come into the hospital.
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Additional statement made October 21, 2021 at 2:30 pm
“Grand River Hospital’s updated Care Partner guidance is our next step in ensuring the safety of our GRH team members, our patients, their families, and the community. Since the beginning of the pandemic our care partner guidance has been evolving. What has remained the same throughout is our acknowledgement that there are times when care partner presence is critical and we have always allowed for exceptions under exceptional circumstances. We know these occasions are most likely to occur at the beginning of life, the end of life, for the most serious of illness and injury, and when a patient isn’t cognitively or developmentally able to advocate for themselves. These decisions continue to be made on a case-by-case basis. We strongly encourage care partners to speak with the program manager in the area of care where their loved one is currently, or will be in the near future, to discuss the possibility of an exemption in their particular circumstances. As always we encourage everyone to take measures to keep themselves and their loved ones safe.”
- Bonnie Camm, Executive Vice President, Clinical Services, Grand River Hospital
Community inquiries:
Patient Relations
Phone: 519-749-4300, ext. 2966. | Email: patient.feedback@grhosp.on.ca
Media inquiries:
Aubrey Walters, Director, People Experience and Communications, Grand River Hospital
Cell: 519-577-0511 | Email: Aubrey.walters@grhosp.on.ca