By providing on-site support to inpatient clinical teams as well as Caregivers and Support People to enable Caregiver presence. We know that caregivers and support people are part of a patient’s healing journey; providing care as well as social and emotional support.  

Where: Charlton Campus

When: Started Wednesday, April 28, 2021

How to reach us: CaregiverSupport@stjoes.ca or 905.522.1155 ext. 34937

How we help:

• Connect with staff and Caregiver/Support people, problem solve any difficulties that arise, and answer questions about current visiting guidelines
• Make daily rounds on inpatient units, ensuring each patient who would like a caregiver to visit has provided contact information
• Respond to phone calls from inpatient units related to caregiver/support person queries
• Respond to any issues that may arise related to our visiting guidelines
• Call Caregivers and Support People of newly admitted patients to review current visiting guidelines

Patient Privacy and Our Values
Last Updated March 13, 2020 at 8:00 p.m.

St. Joe’s is known for showing compassion and support to our patients and to each other. Respect and confidentiality are essential parts of that. We remind everyone that patient privacy remains paramount during this time, and not to discuss a patient’s condition, COVID-19 related or otherwise – beyond the circle of care.

As an employee of St. Joe’s, we remind you to also follow all social media policies and privacy regulations in which confidential patient or employer-related information must not be shared. Thank you again for the work you do, the courage you bring to work everyday, and the kindnesses you give to our patients, and each other.

Tips for Providing Compassionate Care During COVID-19
Last updated January 31, 2020 at 5:05 p.m.

We want to thank everyone for all of their compassionate work every day. It is particularly important during times when many may be feeling anxious to continue to be kind and respectful to others.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, says “This is the time to focus on fact, not fear; science, not rumours; and solidarity, not stigma.”

Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer, recommends:

• Don’t make assumptions about people or use stereotypes
• Be careful of the language you use
• Go to trusted and verified information sites

Changes to the COVID Care Clinic (CCC) and Monoclonal Antibody Therapy (MAB) Clinic

Last Updated February 17, 2022 at 5:20 p.m.

The COVID Care Clinic and the MAB clinic are amalgamating into one physical location in the current MAB space and revising their care paths for the community. Effective Tuesday, February 22, the COVID Care Clinic will no longer accept walk-in and self-referral options for an in-person assessment. Note that if testing or clinical assessment is required, patients should be advised to book an appointment at the COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre. The MAB and CCC amalgamation will provide outpatient therapies for high-risk COVID+ patients through referrals from providers. The changes to MAB and CCC will reduce HHR and space pressures in the hospital. 

Our sincere gratitude to the redeployed staff who navigated through the changes, supported our efforts in opening the CCC and continue to support our community with options for COVID Care. 

Update as of March 23, 2023 - Please Note: St. Joe’s Closing COVID-19 Testing and Assessment Centre at West 5th Campus on March 31. Ready access to COVID-19 testing in the community through most pharmacies is available for the public. Read more here.

COVID Command Centre Update

Last Updated March 4, 2022 at 4:00 p.m.  

The COVID Command Centre continues to actively support healthcare workers in responding to urgent and emergent issues related to:

• quality/safety
• staffing and redeployment
• patient flow
• supply shortage review and contingency planning
• access to staff mental health and well-being supports
• support with patient and family concerns

Effective Friday, March 4, Command Centre calls will be answered jointly between Quality staff and West 5^th Supervisors. Quality will continue to monitor calls for themes and trends and provide reports to ELT and more broadly as appropriate. A reminder that the Command Centre no longer has a physical location, but it remains operational in a decentralized model.

All healthcare workers are reminded to call the Command Centre in an urgent situation when they are unable to reach their supervisor, manager or director.

• For urgent inquiries, please phone 289-779-6855.
• For non-urgent inquiries, please email COVIDcommand@stjoes.ca.

We will continue to assess the need for the Command Centre and transition its activities in response to the environment.

Closure of Dedicated COVID Unit

Updated March 14, 2022 at 10:10 a.m.

On February 15^th, a series of moves occurred at Charlton Campus as part of our strategy to increase critical care capacity, better align our clinical spaces with the needs of our patients, and relocate units with similar patient populations in closer proximity to one another [LINK].

The following changes are occurring as part of the next phase in these changes:

• There is no longer a dedicated COVID Unit. COVID positive patients are now placed on an appropriate unit based on their care needs. CTU 4BD (formerly CTU Central and the COVID Unit) will revert back to a GIM unit.

• Today, March 14, nursing staff from CTU 5MG (formerly CTU North) will move to CTU 4BD, and nursing staff from CTU 4BD (formerly CTU Central) will move to CTU 5MG.

This is an important step in our pandemic recovery as the number of COVID patients we care for in hospital decreases and COVID-19 is treated similar to other viruses requiring isolation in care, rather than a dedicated unit. The move also allows us to address capacity pressures on our medicine units.

The healthcare workers on the COVID Unit played an incredibly important role in our management of the pandemic over the past two years. They stepped up to the challenge of solely caring for COVID patients and supporting their loved ones at the onset of the pandemic in a time of scientific uncertainty, with compassion, skill and bravery. Thank you for your contribution to our hospital and community.

Unit relocations at Charlton Campus: 5 MG (ALC) and 6 JIT (CTU N)

Updated February 16, 2022 at 9:10 a.m.

• 6 JIT (currently CTU North) has become an ALC unit, with staff and patients from ALC unit 5 MG moving to 6 JIT.
• CTU North staff and patients have moved to 5 MG.
• This places the GIM CTU units in closer geographical proximity.
• CTU East patents have moved to CTU Central to support the construction needed for ICU surge space.
• The GIM units will no longer be referred to as CTU Central, West and North, but are now named according to their geographic location. The 5 MG ALC unit has also be renamed to reflect its new location.

IMRAC is Temporarily moving to 5 Fontbonne

Last Updated January 12, 2022 at 8:50 a.m.

The Internal Medicine Rapid Access Clinic (IMRAC) is temporarily moving from level 1 JIT to 5 Fontbonne effective Tuesday, January 11.

We expect this move to last four to six weeks.

Effective immediately, PCR testing will be only be required for the following Perioperative Program patients:

• Patients with planned admissions
• Patients who are symptomatic or have had a known exposure to COVID-19
• Patients who are unvaccinated (PCR testing must be completed 48-72 hours before surgery/procedure)

The new requirements will ensure PCR testing is still completed for patients in higher risk scenarios to reduce risk of patient complications post-surgery and prevent transmission of COVID-19 in hospital. 

If a patient who is symptomatic, has a known exposure to COVID, or is unvaccinated, needs an urgent/emergent surgery that cannot be safely deferred, their surgery will proceed without waiting for a PCR test result and the OR team will take the IPAC precautions necessary for treating a COVID positive patient. 

Changes to PCR testing for Surgery patients as of March 1

Last Updated February 28, 2022 at 11:35 a.m. 

On March 1st, universal PCR testing for ALL surgical patients will no longer be required. This change was made with the goal of reducing wait times for Surgery patients, while ensuring that PCR testing is still completed for patients in higher risk scenarios.

PCR testing will continue for surgical patients requiring Aerosol Generating Medical Procedures (AGMPs), patients with planned admissions, urgent/emergent patients who are symptomatic and/or have had an exposure to COVID-19.

For all other surgical patients, PCR testing will not be required as of March 1, 2022.

Hospital Status Update: Ramp-up will be slow and gradual under current hospital pressures

Last Updated February 2, 2022 at 4:30 p.m.

Yesterday, the province’s Chief Medical Officer of Health issued a revision to Directive #2, outlining a gradual, cautious resumption to some hospital services previously paused. This includes diagnostic imaging, cancer screening, scheduled ambulatory care and non-urgent/non-emergent pediatric care. The requirement to continue to cease all other non-urgent and non-emergent services remains in effect.

St. Joe’s must follow the phased approach to ramping up that the Ontario government has outlined, and consider the stability of the COVID situation in the area. This morning, Ontario Hospital Association President Anthony Dale tweeted that “Hamilton and surrounding area is now the epicentre of Ontario’s Omicron wave,” noting that “Ensuring equitable access to care for the very sick COVID and non-COVID patients is a daily fight.”

This week’s modelling from the Ontario Science Advisory Table showed that pandemic hospitalizations have risen to an all-time high. While some hospitals have experienced a slight decline in COVID numbers in recent days, the modelling suggests that hospitalizations could rise again as a result of the province reopening Jan. 31, and that the pressures on ICUs will be prolonged.

The situation at St. Joe’s and this region’s hospitals remains precarious. Patient care pressures remain high. We have experienced a recent gradual decline in the number of COVID patients, but it has been offset by a climb in in non-COVID patients. This means that our ICU is often full, and our medical/surgical bed occupancy is very high. Additionally, our Emergency Department volumes have climbed back up to pre-pandemic levels.

Hospitals in Hamilton, Niagara, Haldimand, Brant, and Burlington (HNHBB) are working collaboratively as a region to manage the demand for care. ICU occupancy across the region is high, with some hospitals in the area operating at over 100% capacity. Part of the regional approach is to transfer patients outside of our region, when needed and when medically appropriate. Between Jan. 10 –and Feb. 1, 27 critical care patients from HNHBB have been transferred to hospitals in the London area and GTA. St. Joseph’s Healthcare has transferred less than 5 patients thus far, and is part of this regional planning.

We must also work with the capacity of our healthcare workforce, and we continue to have healthcare workers self-isolating due to COVID, although the numbers are about one-third of the peak we had weeks ago. We also continue to have a number of HCWs redeployed throughout the hospital to support key clinical areas. Repatriating staff to their home units will be required for some units to ramp up.

St. Joe’s is working to ensure capacity for our emergency and urgent surgeries and procedures is in place before ramping up further. We are actively planning for ramping up ambulatory care but will do this cautiously, and as appropriate based on staffing abilities and the COVID situation in our hospital and region, following the provincial phased approach.

We know that ramping up surgeries, procedures and clinics is necessary to care for our community, but must balance the need for restored services with the current demands on critical patient numbers, staffing and hospital capacity. We remain committed to prioritizing urgent and emergent time sensitive care. As soon as we see more stability in our community, and are permitted to through government guidelines, we will begin our ramp up plan. 

Travel Screening Changes in Dovetale

Last Updated January 31, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.

 In collaboration with the IPAC Team, Dovetale has updated two of the questions in the Travel and Exposure Screen to align with the new Ministry guidelines for COVID-19 Screening.

Please click HERE for details.

Government calls for pause in non-emergent and non-urgent surgical and procedural care

Last Updated January 4, 2022 at 6:27 p.m.

Hospitals across Ontario are facing increased pressures on our system, with rising COVID rates of transmission, increasing numbers of COVID patients in our hospital and COVID outbreaks in our hospital. Yesterday, the Ontario government pointed out that the rapid rise of Omicron cases may soon rise to the hundreds of thousands, and could result in hospital capacity becoming overwhelmed without further action.

As a result, a number of changes were made by government, including Ontario Health’s directive to pause the ramp up of scheduled surgical, procedural and ambulatory activity (non-emergent and non-urgent) following the holiday period.

What this means for St. Joe's:

• To reduce the pressure on our hospital, ambulatory and mental health and addiction care will move to virtual visits where possible, with only essential in-person clinical visits continuing.
• We continue to prioritize cancer and transplant surgeries. 
• All emergency and urgent surgeries will continue.
• Clinical teams will determine urgency of procedures and whether it must proceed or can be deferred, considering individual circumstances.
• Patients will be contacted by their care providers, and re-assessment of individual cases will occur on a continual basis.

We are also working on additional measures to support our healthcare workers and hospital operations, and will share these measures in the coming days. 

Reintroduction of therapeutic passes within acute and post-acute care programs

Last Updated March 14, 2022 at 10:10 a.m.

Since the beginning of the COVID 19 pandemic, SJHH introduced a phased approach to the reduction and re-introduction of therapeutic passes guided by the provincial and local public health safety measures.

Due to the current levels of transmission, there is opportunity to implement the following immediately:

• Off unit, off premises passes within acute and post-acute programs will now be permitted as per discussion with manager, MRP and MRP order. These will continue to be re-evaluated as needed. 

Level 3 unaccompanied therapeutic passes within the Mental Health and Addiction Program (MHAP) were reintroduced as of January 31 [LINK] and Level 4 unaccompanied therapeutic passes within MHAP were reintroduced as of February 16 [LINK].

On Monday, August 9, 2021 St. Joe’s reduced restrictions for visitors in inpatients areas and the Satellite Health Facility. Patients and/or caregivers/support people may identify up to three additional people who are able to visit, but there must be no more than two people at the bedside at a time. The number of designated Caregivers/Support People remain consistent at two designated individuals, for a total of five people allowed to the visit the patient. 

Based on additional feedback from clinical managers as they implement the changes on their unit, the caregiver/support person letter has been updated to include visitors. Please click here to download the updated letter.

This letter must now be provided to all five identified caregiver/support people/visitors and they must present it to COVID Screeners upon entering the hospital. Previously a letter was only required for caregivers/support people.

For more information about the changes to the visitor policy please click here to read a Frequently Asked Questions document.

Virtual Care for Long-Term Care

Updated April 8th, 2020 at 9:45 p.m.

This week, we worked with long-term care homes, the Nurse Led Outreach Team, and Hamilton Health Sciences to successfully launch Virtual Care for Long Term Care. The program connects patients in long-term care throughout Hamilton with on-call emergency physicians (and if required consultants) who provide them with virtual assessments in the comfort of their homes. The program will help reduce the number of patients transferred to hospital during the pandemic, while preventing  the spread of COVID-19 and ensuring the right care is delivered when needed. Virtual Care for Long Term Care is just one of the many ways St. Joe’s is ensuring capacity for the acutely ill in response to the pandemic. Thanks to all who took swift action to get this program up and running.

• Memo
• Information Sheet
• Nursing Process
• SBAR Report
• Technical Requirements

Additional

• Consent Form
• Guide for Patients Connecting to eVisit

Virtual Visits Program 

St. Joe’s is pleased to offer Patient and Family Virtual Visits to connect patients and their loved using video calls when the no-visitor policy is in place during the pandemic. Through the program, inpatients have access to hospital-supplied iPads to keep in touch during their stay in the hospital. 

Devices are loaded with Zoom video-call software (formally supported by St. Joe’s) as well as Skype, Facebook Messenger and Viber applications to be used at the patient’s own risk

This hospital-wide initiative, which aims for one device for every 10 patients, was made possible with support from the St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation, which provided more than $60,000 toward the purchase of the program’s devices. 

• Instructional Video: Virtual Visit Workflow & Delivery
• Family Virtual Visit Instructions
• Scheduling a Virtual Visit
• Starting a Virtual Visit