Resuming services will be done in a very gradual and tiered approach over the coming weeks and months, working with our regional partners.

Services must resume in a manner that recognizes the pandemic is not over, and ensures there is space for any potential surge in COVID-19 patients.

All areas have worked out plans to slowly and gradually resume services that allow for greater physical distancing, appropriate PPE, and proper screening.

How do you decide which patients will be seen first?

This is a gradual approach to reintroducing services that takes an ethical framework approach and considers multiple factors such as the patient’s condition, the disease, the procedures required and resources available.

Click here for more information on our visitor guidelines.

• Please do not call the clinic or your physician about your appointment. They will call you if you have a scheduled appointment.
• If you are concerned, please call your family physician.
• If there is an emergency, please call 911 and go the hospital immediately.
• If you have an urgent issue, please go to an Urgent Care Centre.

Virtual and telephone care will continue through this next phase of resuming scheduled services.

• St. Joe’s has an excellent system in place to provide virtual appointments.
• Where possible, we may book patient appointments virtually.
• This means you will be seen by your care provider by phone or through a video virtual visit.
• Our care providers who do this are skilled and you will be well cared for.
• This is another safe alternative to caring for patients.

• We will do everything possible to keep your appointment once it is scheduled.
• It’s possible that appointments could change – the hospital needs to take care of emergency and urgent cases.
• COVID-19 is not over, and we will need to alter services if there is an increase of COVID-19 in our hospital.

• There are limited entrances, click here for more information.
• You will be screened for COVID-19, click here for more information.
• Arrive on time to your appointment, please do not come too early in order to avoid too many people in the same vicinity. 
• Please remember to wear your mask throughout the hospital, sanitize your hands when you enter and leave the clinic or entrance and practice physical distancing.

Click here for information about parking availability and rates.

We look forward to meeting you and being part of your birth journey at this really special time in your life.

We know that many of you have questions about the changes we are making at the hospital during the COVID pandemic to keep both you and your family safe, as well as our staff and their families safe. Safety and support are key to all our health care plans.

We hope the video below can help answer some of your questions or concerns.

St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, like all hospitals, must have beds available to treat those urgently requiring the level of care only provided in hospital. While the number of COVID-19 cases in Ontario and this area has thankfully decreased, the pandemic remains a very real concern for all of us. We must be ready to treat patients requiring care for COVID-19 and a stay in our hospital beds. Click here to read more.

We are slowly reintroducing in-person group sessions for inpatient and outpatient services. A maximum of 10 people can gather at one session. All physical distancing and masking guidelines must be followed. Additionally, our staff and learners may need to gather in small group sessions and must follow the same COVID-19 restrictions for size and physical distancing.

Updated August 7th, 2020 at 1:43 p.m.