Effective Tuesday, July 12, 2022, William Osler Health System (Osler) is revising its Visitor and Essential Care Partner (ECP) Policy to support an increase in visitors and ECPs on site. Also effective today, in alignment with the lifting of vaccination mandates across the province, Visitors and ECPs are no
longer required to show proof of vaccination, and COVID-19 screening has shifted from active to passive screening, meaning they must self-screen for COVID-19 and any flu-like systems and not enter the hospital if they are ill.
What Visitors and ECPs need to know:
• Until September, 2022, all visitors must continue to schedule their visits through Osler’s Visitation Booking Line. Information on how to schedule a visit is available on Osler’s website.
• Wearing a hospital-issued mask while at Osler will continue to be mandatory for all Visitors, ECPs, patients, staff, physicians, and volunteers to ensure everyone’s ongoing safety. Screeners will continue to be present at entrances to help support visitors with masking but will no longer be asking screening questions.
• Visitors and ECPs no longer need to present Proof of Mandatory Vaccination along with government-issued Photo ID, or require a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) at screening when visiting a loved one.
Osler understands the importance of in person family presence to a patient’s healing and well-being, and recognizes that there have been many changes to its Visitor and Essential Care Partner Policy throughout the pandemic. Like other hospitals in the province, Osler continuously re-evaluates its Visitor and Essential Care Partner Policy with the goal of always balancing the needs of patients and their loved ones with the health and safety of those who are cared for and work at Osler. Patients admitted to Osler hospitals can also stay connected with their friends and family through virtual visitation.
Patients can use their own mobile devices to access free hospital-wide Wi-Fi or connect using the devices available at the bedside, or if needed they can request support from Osler’s Virtual Visitation Team.
Osler will continue to monitor the impacts of the pandemic on our community and will modify the Visitor and Essential Care Partner Policy as needed. The community is strongly encouraged to visit Osler’s website for the latest information before they arrive at any of Osler’s facilities. For more information on Osler’s updated Visitor and Essential Care Partner Policy including Virtual Visitation Program, and how to schedule an in-person visit, please visit www.williamoslerhs.ca/visiting-us.
ABOUT WILLIAM OSLER HEALTH SYSTEM and FOUNDATION: William Osler Health System (Osler) is a hospital system, which includes Brampton Civic Hospital, Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness and Etobicoke General Hospital, and serves 1.3 million residents of Brampton, Etobicoke and surrounding communities within the Central West region.
Nationally recognized for its commitment to patient safety, Osler is also Accredited with Exemplary Standing, the highest rating a Canadian hospital can receive. Osler’s emergency departments are among the busiest in Canada and its Mental Health Program is one of the largest in the province. William Osler Health System Foundation seeks to create a healthier community through giving by inspiring its communities to invest in exceptional health care close to home.
