June 30, 2015 Cornwall – Every evening at eight o’clock sharp, a page overhead is heard at Cornwall Hospital (CCH) stating that visiting hours are over and will resume at eleven o’clock the next morning. That page will soon be replaced with an open door policy, allowing visiting at any time, to the patient’s preference.Beginning July 1st, Cornwall Hospital will join a growing number of hospitals introducing flexibility to patient visiting.

The open-door approach is one element of a larger move toward putting patients and their families at the centre of the hospital culture and improving the patient experience. CCH is following this trend by allowing the patient to determine or express their visiting preferences. Between the hours of 20h00 and 06h00, visitors are asked to come through the emergency department door, ensuring that security is not compromised. The policy advises visitors to stay away if they are feeling unwell, and also gives staff members the authority to ask a visitor to quiet down or leave if being disruptive.

Time spent at the hospital can be a difficult time, and allowing relatives and friends to visit anytime can alleviate the stress. Visitors can also provide assistance to their loved ones and observe care so that they can meet patient needs when they return home.

Please refer to CCH’s FAQ for more details regarding this change.