Accessibility at RMH

Accessibility is for Everyone!

Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) is committed to the identification, prevention, and elimination of barriers to patients' and visitors' ability to access the care and service they need. If you would benefit from assistance during your visit to RMH, please tell a member of our care team so they can connect you with appropriate resources.

Our hospital's commitment doesn't stop there - we work hard to ensure a fair and accessible working environment for all our current and future staff in order to create and maintain opportunities for all team members.

RMH adheres to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its intent to improve opportunities for people with disabilities and facilitate their full participation throughout the province.

You can review RMH’s Accessibility Plan below:

Multi-year Accessibility Work Plan

Learn more about the Accessibility resources/supports available at RMH…

HEARING

Portable Pocket Talkers are available for patients who are deaf, or hard-of-hearing. Pocket talkers can be requested through a member of your healthcare team and are available to be signed out by our GEM Nurse or in Continuing Care.

Clear (windowed) surgical medical masks. Standard medical masks can prevent our ability to see facial expressions and visual cues, lip-read, and fully communicate. The potential for miscommunication is especially compounded in deaf and hard of hearing people, children, and older people when standard facemasks are used.

Pictographs help patients who cannot speak or read, or if English is not their first language. These are available in Continuing Care and can be obtained in various languages.

Small whiteboards can be used to draw instructions when verbal communication is a struggle. They are available in Continuing Care.

SPEECH/LANGUAGE

An ‘Interpreter on Wheels’ is available to assist patients requiring American Sign Language interpretation. Ask a team member to call Switchboard (ext. 0) to sign it out.

Medical Interpreter Services are available by phone 24/7 in more than 180 languages. Ask a member of your healthcare team if you require a medical interpreter.

PHYSICAL

Mobility aids (walkers, wheelchairs, canes) can be signed out from the Physiotherapy Department. Staxi Transport Chairs are available in the main lobby.

Dressing aids (reachers, shoehorns) can be signed out from Occupational Therapy.

Wheelchair access: Accessible entrances and exits at Ross Memorial can be located at (Note: Only our Emergency Department entrance is open 24/7):

Main entrance located in the north inner corner of the hospital off Angeline Street N.
Emergency Department entrance located on the north inner corner of the hospital right beside the main entrance.
Dialysis entrance located on the east side of the hospital off Jane St.

Wheelchairs for patients and visitors who need them are available in:

Main hospital entrance

Wheelchair accessible washrooms are available throughout the hospital. For more specific wayfinding assistance, visit: https://rmh.org/patientinfo/hospital-way-map

VISION

RMH has a responsibility to ensure that all forms of communication (both verbal and written) are available in accessible formats upon request. For assistance with receiving accessible communications, call Quality & Patient Relations, Steve Lofkrantz (x6126), or Communications & Public Affairs, Ryan Young (x6246).

Website Accessibility Features can be found here: https://rmh.org/web-accessibility-features

Accessible Elevators. All elevators at RMH are equipped with braille buttons.

Epic Capabilities: After-visit summaries from your patient record can be printed in larger font. Please ask a member of your care team.

MENTAL HEALTH

RAAM Clinic: RAAM stands for Rapid Access Addiction Medicine. These types of clinics are found throughout Ontario, including at Ross Memorial. RAAM clinics offer quick access to medications for substance use as well as long term support for addictions, including counselling services. Call (705)328-6064 to book an appointment at RMH.

Hospital to Home: Located at RMH, the Hospital to Home Program (H2H) is a collaboration between Community Care – City of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario Health East’s Home and Community Care, and RMH. The H2H Program connects individuals who present with mental health and/or addictions issues at RMH to community supports and services. The goal is to provide individuals with the information, education, resources and the planning needed to manage in the community, thus decreasing the frequency of visits to the hospital.

Kawartha Lakes Paramedicine Program: Operated by Kawartha Lakes Paramedic Services, the program works alongside primary, home and community care to provide the following services to eligible seniors:

Access to health services 24-7, through in-home and remote methods, such as online supports.
Non-emergency home visits and in-home testing procedures.
Ongoing monitoring of vital signs to prevent escalation of chronic medical conditions: assessments, referrals, diagnostic procedures, and point-of care testing.

Referrals can be made through Home and Community Care Support Services Central East.

211 Ontario: 211 is a helpline that easily connects people to the social services, programs and community supports they need. Dial 2-1-1 to call the helpline to speak with a Community Navigator 24/7 or visit online at 211ontario.ca.

GAIN: Community Care – City of Kawartha Lakes operates the Geriatric Assessment and Intervention Network Clinic for seniors who live at home or in retirement residences. It is an inter-professional team of healthcare providers who are experts in seniors’ health. GAIN Teams provide a comprehensive geriatric assessment, assessments of memory and thinking, assessments of balance, mobility and fall risk, medication and supplement review by a geriatric pharmacist, management of responsive behaviors, caregiver support and navigation, investigation, diagnosis, treatment, education, support, and care to older adults dealing with complex health concerns about any of the following:

memory loss or confused thinking
walking and mobility
falls or risk of falls
bladder and bowel control
multiple medications
difficulty coping
safety issues
frequent hospital visits

Learn more about the GAIN program here: https://ccckl.ca/programs-services/senior-and-caregiver-support/gain/

Connex Ontario: provides free and confidential health services information for people experiencing problems with alcohol and drugs, mental illness or gambling. Contact: https://www.connexontario.ca/en-ca/

9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline: Call or text 9-8-8. The service offers trauma-informed and culturally affirming support to anyone who is thinking of suicide, or who is worried about someone they know.

While the focus of 9-8-8 is on suicide prevention, no one who reaches out to the service will be turned away. Whoever you are, wherever you are located in Canada, by calling or texting 9-8-8 you can connect with a trained responder who’s ready to listen without judgement.

In the face of increased demand for crisis services, 9-8-8 provides:

A number that’s easy to remember in a crisis situation.
Support in English and in French, by phone and text.
Quick access to support from trained responders, available 24/7/365.
High quality, evidence-based, equitable suicide prevention and crisis support for everyone in Canada.

For more information about 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, visit https://988.ca

For more mental health resources available in our community, visit: https://rmh.org/programs-and-services/mental-health-resources 

LEARNING DISABILITIES

Learning disabilities affect one or more of the ways that a person takes in, stores, or uses information. Learning disabilities come in many forms and affect people with varying levels of severity. Between five (5) and 10 per cent of Canadians have learning disabilities. Please ask your healthcare provider for support in a way that meets your needs. For example: if you need bigger text, information in point form, or for them to speak slower.

SERVICE ANIMALS

Your service animal is welcome to come with you to your appointments. If you are admitted to the hospital (e.g. surgery), please inform your healthcare team in advance and ensure you make arrangements for your service animal to be looked after. Also, please have proof of vaccination for the animal.

PET VISITING AT RMH

In support of providing exceptional patient care, RMH has established guidelines for pet visiting. RMH restricts pet visiting to dogs and cats. These guidelines aim to balance the environmental and safety considerations with a focus on enhancing the emotional and psychosocial well-being of patients. Ask your healthcare provider for more information.

ACCESSIBILITY AND EMPLOYMENT

RMH is committed to providing accessible employment practices that are in compliance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Should any applicant require accommodation through the application, interview, or selection processes, please contact our Human Resources Department at 705-324-6111 x. 4211 or at humanresources@rmh.org.

ACCESSIBLE DOCUMENTS

RMH is committed to providing accessible information and communication and recognizes that persons with disabilities may require information in accessible formats. If you require correspondence, reports and/or other RMH documents in an accessible format, please contact Quality and Patient Experience by email at quality@rmh.org.

When emailing your request, please include the following information:

Your full name
Email address
Mailing address
Telephone number
Name of required document
Format requested, including large print, hard copy, email, digital, braille translate For digital or video requests, please indicate close captioning
Date the information is required

Learn more about the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act:

If you require more information or need this information in another format, please e-mail publicrelations@rmh.org and let us know what you require - we will work with you to meet your needs.

Page Last Updated: May 23, 2024