Support for Visitors

Last Updated: 2022-08-11

Visiting Patients at Hennick Bridgepoint and Mount Sinai Hospitals

Even though public health measures and directives related to masking lifted in Ontario on June 11, hospitals continue to have the authority to keep requirements in place in order to support a safe environment for our patients and care teams.

Important information for visitors and caregivers

Wear the mask provided to you at all times, including when you are in patient rooms.

If you feel unwell, or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 10 days, do not visit a patient in the hospital.

Do not eat and drink in patient rooms, clinical areas or waiting rooms. If you need to eat or drink, you must go to the Food Hall or cafeteria on the main floor.

Clean your hands often for at least 15 seconds.

Practice physical distancing and keep two metres from others.

Wear the mask provided to you at all times, including when you are in patient rooms.

If you feel unwell, or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 10 days, do not visit a patient in the hospital.

Do not eat and drink in patient rooms, clinical areas or waiting rooms. If you need to eat or drink, you must go to the Food Hall or cafeteria on the main floor.

Clean your hands often for at least 15 seconds.

Practice physical distancing and keep two metres from others.

It is strongly recommended that visitors and caregivers stay up-to- date on their COVID-19 vaccines, however Sinai Health will no longer be asking visitors to show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination at building entrances.

Visitors must strictly follow hospital protocols. If they do not, they may be asked to leave.

Visiting guidelines

Please check the following pages for specific information on:

Visiting hours: 7 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.

  • All inpatients can have two visitors at a time
    • Exceptions:
      • Patients who are at end of life with a prognosis of less than two weeks can have two visitors at a time with 24 hour access (please speak with your care team about visits from people of importance).
      • Surgical patients may have one visitor accompany them on the day of surgery, until the patient is transferred to an inpatient unit.
      • If there is an outbreak on a unit, visitor access on that unit may be limited to essential care partners. This is at the discretion of the care team.

Quiet hours: 7:30 p.m. – 7 a.m.

  • At Mount Sinai, patients in the following categories may be able to designate one visitor to stay with them during Quiet Hours. Please speak to the care team to discuss Quiet Hours access.
    • Patients under age 18
    • Patients with cognitive impairment
    • Patients who are unable to effectively communicate
    • Patients at end of life
    • Patients experiencing a critical event or illness
  • At Hennick Bridgepoint, patients can designate up to two visitors for Quiet Hours with the care team, but only one visitor is able to stay at a time.

Please speak with your care team about how to get an overnight caregiver sticker or badge.

Visits from Children

  • A maximum of two (2) children may visit at the same time, if appropriate. Please speak to the care team before visiting to confirm the unit guidelines as there are some exceptions.  
  • Children under the age of 12 are not included in the total number of visitors, and they must be accompanied by an adult. The patient cannot be responsible for children who are visiting.
  • All children over the age of two must wear a mask.  

Visitor Appeals

If the care team is unable to assist you, please contact Patient Relations with any appeals related to your situation or if you have further questions. Appeals can take 48 hours to process, so please address time-sensitive requests with the care team. Patient Relations can be reached at 416-586-4800 x 5066 or [email protected] (Use “Appeal” in your subject line).

Visitor Appeal Information

Select a language below for more details

Information and tip sheets

Tip sheet:

Videos:

Frequently Asked Questions

I recently had COVID-19. Can I visit a patient?

If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must wait 10 days after the date of specimen collection or symptom onset (whichever is earlier) before visiting a patient in the hospital as it is a high-risk setting.

Are visitors who have symptoms or who test positive for COVID-19 allowed to visit a patient?

Anyone with symptoms or who is COVID-19 positive should be self-isolating and not visit. Only in exceptional circumstances will case by case allowances be made in partnership with the clinical team and the Sinai Health Infection Prevention and Control team.

If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must wait 10 days after the date of specimen collection or symptom onset (whichever is earlier) before visiting a patient in the hospital as it is a high-risk setting.

Can I know the COVID-19 vaccination status of a patient’s roommate?

The COVID-19 vaccination status of another patient is personal health information.

Sinai Health has many policies and processes in place to keep patients, essential care partners/families and the health care team safe. These include:

  • Patient screening and routine testing on admission
  • Routine symptom surveillance and testing
  • Infection prevention and control best practices (e.g. placing a symptomatic patient in an isolation room)
  • Use of appropriate personal protective equipment for patients, visitors and our staff
  • Implementation of outbreak mitigation strategies for health care providers, patients and visitors

Can I bring my own mask?

The hospital will provide you with a medical grade surgical mask when you arrive. You must wear it at all times. Please clean your hands before putting it on and wear it properly at all times. If you have questions about how to put on or take off the mask, please review this tip sheet or ask someone on the care team.

I would like to be considered with special circumstances for visiting a patient. What should I do?

If you feel we should provide you with an appeal, please speak to your clinical care team. If you would like further support, contact Patient Relations at 416-586-4800 ext. 5066 or [email protected] (Use Appeal in your subject line). Appeals can take 48 hours to process, so please address time-sensitive requests with the clinical team.

How do I visit a patient outside at Hennick Bridgepoint?

Patients at Hennick Bridgepoint who are medically stable to leave the unit and who are not on any additional infection control precautions may have outdoor visits from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Maximum of five outdoor visitors at one time. Children are able to visit outdoors and those under two are able to visit outdoors without wearing a mask and are not counted in the total visitors.

  • Please do not eat or drink while you are visiting indoors or outdoors.
  • Outdoor visitors are required to remain outside and wait for the patient to visit.
  • Patients should coordinate with a visitor if they require mobility assistance to go outdoors for a visit.
  • Designated visiting areas: 
    • Outdoor visiting spaces include: 1) Main Entrance Driveway 2) Labyrinth and 3) Main Floor West Terrace. All these spaces can be  accessed directly from outside.
    • The 10th Floor terrace is also open for visits. Masking is required and there is no eating or drinking permitted.
  • Visitors and patients are able to exit and enter the hospital through the Main Floor Entrance for outdoor visits only.
  • All outdoor visits are weather permitting. The Main Floor West Terrace at Hennick Bridgepoint is covered so can be used to provide protection from rain and sun.
  • Parking: As all outdoor visitors are asked to remain outside, there are a number of street level parking lots in the neighbourhood that can be used by outdoor visitors to park.

How do I stay connected to a patient while they are in the hospital?