COVID-19

For information about the COVID-19 Vaccine, please visit the provincial website.

Admitted patients with COVID-19: 5

*Current as of January 15, 2021. Updated by noon, Monday - Friday*

COVID-19 Testing is By Appointment Only.

How to book an appointment

First, visit the provincial COVID-19 website to learn if you qualify for testing under the current Provincial guidelines
Leave a message at 705-328-6217 or request an appointment online - anytime
Do not leave multiple messages or submit multiple forms
Appointments are available Monday to Friday, 9:30-5:15pm
You will receive a call back within 1-2 business days

Arriving for your appointment

Arrive to the hospital at your appointment time.
Wear a mask
Bring your health card and identification
Maintain physical distancing from others awaiting testing

Parking and Entrances

You will be instructed to proceed to either Entrance A or Entrance B when booking your appointment, depending on whether you require a test or physician assessment. Both entrances are marked clearly.

Entrance A - located on South side of hospital
Entrance B - located on West Side of Hospital

For either entrance, park in the short-term parking lot, entering from Kent St. Those attending Entrance B may wish to park closer to that entrance (spots next to Angeline St. in the same lot). Exit the lot via Angeline St. to support traffic flow.

The RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre can provide testing for:

Anyone age 1 and over who is showing COVID-19 symptoms. You may be asked to visit the Emergency Department if your symptoms, or your child’s symptoms are severe.
Individuals who have been notified by Public Health or the COVID Alert app about a potential exposure to a confirmed case of the virus
Individuals who live or work in an at-risk setting, including long-term care, shelters or other congregate setting
You will be visiting a long term care home
You are eligible for testing as part of a targeted testing initiative as determined by the Ministry of Health or Ministry of Long Term Care.
Those who require COVID-19 testing prior to medical procedure

If symptoms are severe, including difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion or loss of consciousness, you should call 911 or proceed to the Emergency Department.

Visit the provincial COVID-19 website to learn more about symptoms in infants and children, and when you should take your child to the Emergency Department.

Test Results

Your results should be available at Ontario.ca/coronavirus within 5 days of your test. If you haven’t been able to access your results online after 5 days, call 705-328-6217 and leave a message.

Enhanced Measures in Place at RMH

We are screening everyone entering the hospital

To protect patients, families and our team, we are screening everyone entering our hospital. Please answer these questions honestly and stay home if you are ill.

Limiting entrances to hospital

Emergency Department entrance – 24 hours/day
Main entrance – 6:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Dialysis entrance – For Dialysis patients ONLY – 6:30a.m. to 7 p.m.

Note - Admitting (south) and Administrative (west) entrances are reserved for COVID-19 Assessment only.

Emergency Department Visiting/Accompanyment Guidelines

Anyone attending the Emergency Department must come alone.
To support the safety of all patients and our team, Emergency Department patients may not have visitors while in the department.
Exceptions will be provided for palliative patients, critically ill, children under the age of 18, or those with cognitive impairments requiring a support person.

Visiting Guidelines

One designated visitor per inpatient, 1 visit per day
2 visitors per day for palliative care patients
We continue to ask that patients with appointments should come alone, unless a support person is essential.
Visitors must be over the age of 16, though visitors to palliative patients will be considered on a case by case basis

What you need to know for your visit

Put on a mask before entering the hospital. At the screening station, you'll be provided with a medical grade mask. Keep your mask on, covering nose and mouth, throughout your visit.
Enter at the main entrance, sanitize your hands and answer screening questions honestly.
Food or drink must not be consumed while visiting.
Stay in your loved one’s room when you visit.
Because we cannot allow visitors to eat or drink onsite, visitors may briefly leave the property for a meal break, and will pass through screening once again upon return.
Maintain physical distance of 2 metres/6 feet or more from all hospital staff and patients
Sanitize hands when entering and leaving the patient’s room, at doorways, and as you’re leaving the hospital.

We continue to offer Virtual Visits (video calls) to support patients and loved ones stay connected. Learn more.

Care Packages for Patients

It's hard being away from your loved one in hospital. You can send them a care package to let them know you're thinking of them. Please label your package (patient's name and room #) and drop it off at the main entrance from 10am-4pm. Care packages will be disinfected before being delivered to the patient. Please limit your care package to essential items only:

One grocery-sized bag or small box per patient
Personal aids - walkers, canes, glasses, hearing aids, dentures, prosthetics - items must arrive cleaned
Communication aids - phone, charger, tablet. Item must arrive cleaned.
Toiletries and grooming items - toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, feminine hygiene products, razor, brush. Items must be new.
Clothing - items must be laundered.
Food: Must be packaged in a sealable, wipeable container, not require refrigeration or heating, and be easily discarded.

Showing your support

We are grateful for your support in the following ways:

We continue to accept donations of unopened/unused surgical masks, N95 respirator masks, gloves, and waterproof gowns to support our front-line workers. Please contact dabbott@rmh.org or705-324-6111 ext. 5175 to arrange your donation.
Ross Memorial Hospital Foundation has established a special fund, called Heroes at Heart, to support urgent equipment and technology needs as the Ross responds to the pandemic. To support the COVID-19 response at RMH, please give to our Heroes at Heart fund by phone (705-328-6146), by email (foundation@rmh.org) or online (www.rmh.org/foundation).
We cannot accept food donations for our staff and physicians, including food sent from restaurants or home-baked goods.

News

January 5, 2021 - COVID-19 Community Update
December 15, 2020 - Accessing Healthcare This Holiday Season
October 16, 2020 - RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre Moves Inside Hospital
Sept 30, 2020 - RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre Shifts to "Appointment Only" Model
June 29, 2020 - New Hours and Location for RMH COVID-19 Assessment Centre
June 4, 2020 - Message to Our Community: Increased Testing Volumes; Maintaining Safety while Resuming Services
June 1, 2020 - Virtual COVID-19 Town Hall
May 29, 2020 - Five regional hospital partners approved to begin ramping up non-urgent care
May 26, 220 - Expanded COVID-19 Testing
May 8, 2020 - Message to Our Community: Don't Wait to Access Emergency Care
April 28. 2020 - Ross Memorial Hospital's Evolving Response to COVID-19
April 13, 2020 - Working with and for our community
April 6, 2020 - RMH Preparations during COVID-19 Pandemic
March 30, 2020 - Message to Our Community: We're all in this together
March 24, 2020 - Message to Our Community
March 22, 2020 - COVID-19 Contributes to Death of CKL Resident
March 17, 2020 - RMH Evolves COVID-19 Assessment Centre to Enhanced Model
March 15, 2020 - RMH Opens COVID-19 Assessment Centre (this model is no longer active)
March 14, 2020 - HKPR District Health Unit Reports Positive Case of COVID-19 in CKL
March 2nd, 2020 - Local Health Partners Continue to Work Together in Preparation for Potential COVID-19 Cases
January 31st, 2020 - Working together to prevent spread of seasonal illness and novel coronavirus

Resources

Government of Ontario COVID-19 Website ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus
COVID-19 Self Assessment ontario.ca/page/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-self-assessment
HKPRD Health Unit (including local cases) hkpr.on.ca
Public Health Agency of Canada canada.ca/coronavirus
World Health Organization who.int/health-topics/coronavirus