Help protect patients
As of October 16, 2024, wearing a mask is required in patient care areas, patient rooms and waiting rooms. Sinai Health is a mask-friendly environment in all other areas of our buildings. Medical grade procedure masks are available at the hospital entrance.
Visitors and caregivers cannot eat or drink in patient rooms. You can eat or drink in family lounges, ICU waiting areas and surgical waiting lounges when no patients are present or in the RioCan Food Hall.
Masking is required in ambulatory waiting rooms, including the Emergency Department and Labour and Delivery triage.
If you feel unwell (with respiratory symptoms, fever or vomiting/diarrhea, for example), or have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in the last 10 days, do not visit a patient in the hospital.
Wash your hands often for at least 15 seconds, especially when entering or exiting a patient’s room.
Our family presence policy
Mount Sinai Hospital has a family presence policy. This means that we welcome families and caregivers to be with patients 24 hours a day. To help patients get the rest they need, we observe quiet hours.
Quiet hours
Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. During quiet hours, patients are welcome to have one person stay with them.
Wrist bands
Most units will require a wrist band from the Security desk, which can be found beside the Murray entrance on the main level. For everyone’s safety it’s important for us to understand who is in the building and what role they are playing. The wrist band helps identify caregivers who are remaining during quiet hours.
Quiet hours promote rest and healing
Please be respectful of all patients and staff by:
- Speaking quietly
- Dimming overhead lights
- Turning cellphones to silent
- Being sensitive to the needs and wishes of roommates. Lounges are available on most floors for family and friends to use for visits if the patient's roommate is sleeping or having a procedure.
Caregivers may stay with patients in shared rooms. There may be times when a caregiver cannot stay, or may be asked to leave, in order to support all patients in a shared space.
Visitor facilities
The washrooms in patient rooms are for patient use only. Please use the visitor restrooms that are on each unit. We do not have showering facilities for caregivers.
Caregivers can rest in a chair or recliner, if there is space for one and if one is available. Sharing a bed is not permitted. Hospital beds are designed to support patients and allow the health-care team to provide care. Recliners are used in the daytime with patients and may be removed when quiet hours are over. We do not have beds for caregivers that stay overnight.
There are limited options within the hospital during quiet hours. For more information on what food options are available, visit Shops and Services.
Visitor information for units
Some units have specific rules around visiting to support the needs of their patients.
| Unit | Visitor information |
|---|
| Emergency Department | Space is limited in the Emergency Department (ED). If physical space allows in the waiting rooms, visitor access will be prioritized for the following patients: - Patients under age 18
- Patients with a cognitive impairment
- Patients who are unable to effectively communicate
- Patients at end of life
- Patients experiencing a critical event or illness
|
| Inpatient Psychiatry | Family presence is part of the care plan for each patient. Please speak with the care team for more information. |
| Labour and Delivery | Two caregivers are welcome at any time in the Labour and Delivery unit. |
| Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Level II Nursery | - 24-hour access for two care partners/visitors at a time
- Any visitor must be accompanied by a parent
- All visitors must be over the age of 16 with the exception of siblings who must be over the age of two. Siblings over age of 12 are considered visitors.
|
| Intensive Care Unit (ICU) | Two caregivers are welcome at any time. The manager will determine access to the unit. |
CareMail
At Mount Sinai Hospital, we recognize that patient-centred care starts with support from family and friends. Our free Mount Sinai CareMail service lets you stay in touch during the hospital stay of someone you care about.
Simply fill out the form below with your message and the patient's formal name and room number (if known). Volunteers will deliver the basic email message in a sealed envelope within 72 hours of receiving it. Emails received on weekends and holidays will be delivered within 72 hours of the next business day.
Unfortunately, we cannot deliver email messages after a patient has been discharged from the hospital and gone home.
