Montfort and COVID-19

Yes, our Emergency Department is open 24/7.

As of March 14, 2023, there are 14 patients admitted at Montfort who have COVID-19.

Upon arrival, patients who appear to have symptoms of COVID-19 are placed in isolation with precautionary measures. These measures allow us to offer high quality and safe care for all our patients and our staff members. 

For additional information on the number of patients hospitalised, please consult the daily reports issued by Ottawa Public Health on the number of cases in Ottawa. The Full Report includes references to the number of people in Ottawa who require hospitalisation; and among them, how many require intensive care at this point. 

While most masking requirements are being lifted in Ontario, all staff members, patients and visitors must continue to wear the surgical mask that we give them at the entrance, and wear the mask at all times while they are inside the hospital. This measure remains in effect until further notice.

This precaution is necessary because we provide health care and services to vulnerable or immunocompromised individuals. Note that all hospitals in Ottawa have made the same decision in order to maintain a safe environment for their vulnerable populations and their staff members.

If you have any questions about our visiting policy, please contact patient@montfort.on.ca or 613-746-4621 ext. 2263.

How do visits work?

There are visitors' restrictions at the moment.

For the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and most other care units:

• Visiting hours: between 11:00 am and 8:00 pm.
• Two visitors at a time
• There are no restrictions on the number of visitors during the stay.

For patients with COVID-19:

No visitors are permitted in the following instances (except in exceptional circumstances):

• When a patient is in isolation awaiting a COVID test result;
• If the patient has a positive COVID-19 result (with exceptions for compassionate reasons); - If the patient is in a unit where there is a COVID-19 outbreak. Check the status of outbreaks in units in the "Outbreak Management" section of this page.

For the Emergency Department:

• One accompanying person may be allowed in the Emergency Department, according to the patient's condition, or two people in the case of a newborn or a child.

For patients with an appointment: 

• One person may accompany a patient who has an appointment.

For persons accompanying a child or newborn to an appointment or Emergency Department:

• Two persons may accompany a patient who has an appointment.

For the Family Birthing Center:

• Two persons are permitted at the bedside of the person giving birth;
• After the birth, visits are limited to a maximum of two people at a time;
• There are no restrictions on the number of outings.

Nursery:

• Access is restricted to parents (or designated persons). Exceptions may be made with the agreement of the Care Facilitator.
• Both parents may visit the nursery at the same time.

To be designated as a caregiver

Speak with the patient's charge nurse to be designated as a caregiver. To do so, call 613-746-4621 and press 0. Tell our operator the name of your loved one and ask to speak to their charge nurse.

Exceptional circumstances

There are certain exceptions that allow for the presence of a loved one:

• For hospitalized patients : end-of-life patient, etc. The days, hours and length of visits can be adjusted to suit the patient's needs. Each situation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
• Emergency Room: for accessibility or communication barrier, etc. Please discuss this with the nurse at the Emergency reception desk if you have any concerns. 
• Patients with appointments: for accessibility or language barrier, etc. If an accompanying person is required, please mention it when making the appointment, and the team will evaluate your request according to the patient's needs. 
• Family Birthing Centre: the person permitted at the bedside of the person giving birth is exempt from proof of immunization.  
• Medical exemption: Visitors with proof of medical exemption to vaccination 

To talk to a patient

We encourage family and friends of hospitalized patients to stay in regular contact with their loved one, as each patient has access to a telephone in their room.

• To reach a patient, call 613-746-4621 and enter the room phone number.
• If you do not know the patient's room number, call 613-746-4621 and press 0.
• We also launched a new service to help you connect with a patient.

Questions and answers

What's a care partner? 

An essential care partner is not a visitor. It is a support person whose presence is deemed essential to the safety and well-being of a patient in the hospital. It is someone who can help with activities of daily living and contribute to the patient's care. For example, helping with meals and personal care.

Essential care partners:

• must not have symptoms of COVID-19 or respiratory infection
• must not have tested positive for COVID-19 or be awaiting test results
• are not allowed in outbreak areas
• are not allowed for patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, are awaiting test results, or are in post-exposure isolation

Exceptions may be made in exceptional circumstances.

How can I be added to the list of designated care partners?

If your loved one is hospitalized at Montfort and requires the presence of a care partner, 

• Call 613-746-4621, press 0. 
• Tell our operator what your loved one's name is and ask to speak to the nurse in charge of their care.
• The charge nurse will assess the situation on a case-by-case basis.

Can children visit a Montfort patient?

This depends on the circumstances. Talk to the nurse in charge of your loved one. 

• Please note that children are not allowed at the Family Birthing Centre.
• All children must be constantly supervised by the accompanying adult and must be able to follow the instructions of the staff members.
• If staff members determine that a child cannot meet these requirements, they will ask the parent and child to leave the hospital.

What are the rules while I'm visiting someone at Montfort?

Our staff will ask you screening questions when you arrive at the main entrance, to assess whether you have symptoms or are at risk of infection. 

At your first visit, you will be given instructions on good practices and then sign a "Care Partner Access Card" confirming that you have seen and understood instructions and that you agree to follow them. 

We will provide you with a mask at the main entrance.

• In the hospital, you must wear this mask at all times. 

• Do not touch your mask. If you touch it, wash your hands.

• If you need to take the mask off for a few moments to eat or drink, make sure you are at a distance of two metres (six feet) from the person you are visiting, other patients and staff.

Keep your movements around the hospital as short as possible.

• Keep a distance of 2 meters (6 feet) from others. 

• Elevators are limited to three people at a time. If the elevator is already occupied, wait for the next one.

• When arriving at the unit, stop at the station to advise the clerk of your presence and sign the visitors registry.

If your loved one is identified as requiring "additional precautions" due to an infection:

• A sign will be posted on his or her room door.

• Unit staff will explain how to put on personal protective equipment before entering the room and how to remove it when you leave.

You must wash your hands when entering and leaving the room.

You can help your loved one to eat or sit down while wearing your mask.

Leave the hospital as soon as your visit is over. Go to the exit by the same route you took when you arrived. When you leave the hospital, wash your hands, remove and discard your surgical mask, and then wash your hands again. 

Thank you for your support in keeping our patients and our team members safe.

Yes, it is possible. A loved one can bring a package in a bag identified with the patient's name. The person will have to answer the screening questions before entering the main entrance. 

A clerk will make sure to have the correct room number for the patient. 

The person will then be given a clear plastic bag in which to place the items to be given to the patient, and place the bag on a table. 

A porter will pick up the bag and deliver it to the patient. 

Note that the drive-through testing centre closed on Friday, September 30. 

For the complete information on COVID testing in Ottawa, visit Ottawa Public Health's website. 

If you are in distress (e.g., severe difficulty breathing, chest pain, fainting, or significant worsening of a chronic condition), go to the nearest Emergency Department.

You should call ahead to the clinic in case it is necessary to reschedule your appointment: 613-746-4621, then press 3. If your appointment is not cancelled, people at the control centre in the hospital's main entrance will ask you to wear a mask and wash your hands before going to your appointment.

Your safety is important to us. We have safety measures put in to prevent the spread of infections. It is also important to wash your hands frequently, including when entering and leaving the hospital and before eating or drinking.

If a patient is suspected of having COVID-19, they are put on isolation precautions – they would not be sharing a room with a patient admitted for other medical reasons.

We have a tiered surge plan identifying space and staffing in the event of an increase of COVID-19 patients.

Hospitals in the region are working together to develop a medical framework that creates a fair process guided by principles and ethics, and resumes scheduled surgeries and procedures in the right way, at the right time. Hospitals will ensure that criteria set out by the government are met in the region as a whole.

If you are in need of urgent care, we encourage you to come to our Emergency Departments. It is safe and we are here to care for you.

When will my procedure, surgery or clinic appointment be rescheduled? 

Montfort is working with other hospitals in the region to gradually increase scheduled surgeries and procedures. Work is going on in every department, in every hospital across the region, to increase services as safely, fairly and quickly as the situation allows for as many people as possible. Your procedure will be rescheduled according to the priority framework established regionally. Cases that are urgent will continue to be prioritized. Your care team will contact you as soon as they are able to reschedule your appointment. 

Who should I call if my condition is worse? 

If you have questions about your condition while you are waiting for your appointment to be rescheduled, or your condition changes, please contact your doctor or health-care provider.

If you need emergency care, please go to your nearest Emergency Department. 

Can I go to another hospital for my appointment? 

Hospitals work together to ensure higher priority procedures get done first and that all hospitals move together to ensure equity of access for all patient in the region. There is no need for you to go yourself to another facility.  The provincial government has advised hospitals to take a gradual approach to resuming services, giving priority to patients with urgent needs. Hospitals in eastern Ontario are working together on a regional approach to resuming scheduled surgeries and procedures. 

Sometimes there may be circumstances that make surgery at one hospital possible, but not another. We are working together to make sure that all patients across the region are treated equitably.

Why aren’t all services restarting at the same time?

The provincial government has instructed hospitals to protect a certain level of capacity and resources to be able to care for patients with COVID-19, meaning we cannot fully resume all services at once.

Work is going on in every department, in every hospital across the region, to increase services as safely, fairly and quickly as the situation allows for as many people as possible.

Is it safe to be coming to the hospital for care right now?

Yes! Hospitals in the region are taking every possible measure to ensure your safety.  As the region enters this new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic with less community transmission, we understand that coming into the hospital may also cause stress for some patients. We are here to care for you. Regardless of where your care takes place in the region, patient safety is a top priority. 

What can I expect when I come to hospital? 

You will be screened when you come into the hospital. Please plan to arrive early and be prepared to answer screening questions about symptoms of COVID-19 and your contact and travel history. Please wear a mask and physically distance from others wherever possible.

Will I be tested or asked to quarantine ahead of my procedure?

We will be following public health’s guidelines on testing and isolation. This means that we will continue to screen patients ahead of appointments and at the door, and we will ask patients and staff members to wear masks and practice physical distancing where possible. 

Patients and staff members will continue to be tested if they show any symptoms or relevant contact history, which means that you may be tested depending on your risk factors. 

Can patients with COVID-19 still come to hospital for a procedure?

We will be screening for COVID-19, and we are able to test patients who have active symptoms to help us plan the safest course of action. If you test positive for COVID-19, your care team will carefully consider the risks and benefits of moving forward with the procedure to determine the safest course of action for you.

What criteria does the hospital need to meet to increase scheduled surgeries, procedures and outpatient clinics? 

The provincial criteria include: a lower-than-average number of patients in hospitals across the region, known as occupancy; and sufficient staff, personal protective equipment supply, among others. 

Hospitals in the region are collaborating to meet the provincial requirements prior to increasing services. As with anything in the pandemic, the situation is constantly evolving, and we will need to monitor criteria throughout this process to ensure that they are being met.  If at any time the region’s hospitals find themselves no longer able to meet some of the criteria above, they may have to pull back the re-opening of their procedures and surgeries. If this impacts you, you will be notified.  

Ottawa Public Health has the most up to date information on their website. We encourage you to go there for more detailed information about COVID-19.

Thank you for your support in keeping our patients safe.

To find out more about all the COVID-19 testing centres in Ottawa, visit Ottawa Public Health's website.