Toronto (April 13, 2003) - The Toronto Rehabilitation Institute continues to be SARS-free.
Like other GTA hospitals, Toronto Rehab put in place extreme precautions to protect patients and staff from the virus after Ontario’s Commissioner of Public Heath declared an outbreak on March 26. These efforts appear to be paying off and hospitals across the city are beginning to adjust their precautions accordingly. However, we must all remain vigilant in response to SARS.
At Toronto Rehab, we are cautiously and gradually moving forward to resume patient care services, while maintaining appropriate measures to protect patients and staff. On Monday, April 14, we are introducing some changes in accordance with provincial directives and after careful consideration with our colleagues in the system. This week, our primary focus will be on restoring inpatient services and selected outpatient programs. As of Monday, April 14:
- Essential inpatient services continue; inpatient therapy resumes on the units.
- Admissions, transfers and discharges resume, subject to directives.
- Cardiac program reopens; other outpatient programs begin to gear up to resume. Outpatients will be advised as to when their appointments or programs resume.
- Hospital access is restricted to one entrance at each site. We continue to screen everyone who comes to Toronto Rehab and to turn away anyone who does not pass SARS screening.
- Almost all staff members return to work, provided they pass SARS screening.
- Starting Tuesday, April 15, each patient may receive one visitor per day. Visitors must pass SARS screening and wear surgical masks while on site. To manage screening at each site, visitors are asked not to arrive between 2:30 pm and 4 pm daily. Patients who are critically ill may have multiple visitors at any time of day or night.
- Volunteers and students should not come to the hospital.
Again, all of Toronto Rehab's five sites continue to be SARS-free. And we are doing all that we can to keep it that way. We will continue to update you as we implement further changes.
