Last Updated: May 28, 2003

Toronto General Hospital rated SARS category "2" [more]

Ontario Premier Ernie Eves announced the 'Code Orange' declared seven weeks ago in response to the SARS emergency has been officially lifted.

However, UHN will maintain routine precautions to keep diseases like SARS out of our hospitals.

• Safety Precautions for Patients and Permitted Visitors
• Visitor Policy
• Patient and Visitor Entrances

What does this mean to you as a patient?
We're working hard to increase our clinical activity. Over the past month, the SARS outbreak reduced UHN's activity significantly. There is a heavy demand for services, and it will take considerable time and resources to respond to the backlog and to keep up with regular services. Your cooperation with our safety measures will help us get back to normal levels of service.

Safety Precautions for Patients and Permitted Visitors
For your safety, when you visit the hospital for tests and appointments, you will be required to:

• enter through the patient/visitor entrances
• register with hospital staff when you come in
• have your temperature taken
• wear a mask
• answer a few questions about how you're feeling and whether you have had contact with SARS

Visitor Policy
University Health Network has relaxed its No Visitors policy to allow one (1) visit per patient per day at each of its teaching hospitals – Toronto General, Toronto Western and Princess Margaret – during the specified visiting hours. Any visitor allowed into a UHN hospital will undergo a Symptom Clearance Evaluation for symptoms of SARS and will be masked, gowned and gloved during their entire visit.

We realize this is extremely hard on both our patients and their families. But we also know we are doing this for the right reasons – to protect our patients, their families and our staff. We need to return to our "new normal" procedures in a careful way to ensure we continue to provide a safe environment.

Patient and Visitor Entrances
We are directing patients, families and visitors to specific entrances at each hospital site:

Princess Margaret Hospital	Toronto General Hospital	Toronto Western Hospital
Murray Street Ambulance Entrance	Peter Munk Entrance	Bathurst St. Entrance Nassau St. Entrance (Atrium)

Please Note: No visitors or family will be allowed into hospital emergency waiting areas or departments.

Should you have any further questions or concerns, please contact:

• UHN Patient Relations at (416) 340-4907
• Toronto Public Health Hotline at (416) 338-7600
• Telehealth Ontario (24 hours a day, seven days a week) at 1-866-797-0000 to speak to a registered nurse
• Visit the Toronto Public Health Web site
• Visit the Ontario Ministry of Health Web site

Thank you for your patience and consideration during this time. We appreciate your cooperation.