Posted on Monday April 24, 2017
Durham — Lakeridge Health has introduced a new Family Presence Policy that ends standard “visiting hours” and lets family members and partners-in-care spend more time with their loved ones.
“Patients, their family members and other partners-in-care are essential members of our Lakeridge Health team, so we’re excited to be supporting this philosophy of care,” said Patient Experience Director Cathy Fiordalisi Smith. “Family and friends play a big part in the recovery of their loved one, and having them around to give their support can make all the difference in their loved one’s hospital visit.”
The Family Presence Policy focusses on working with patients and their family members/partners-in-care in care and care planning. The patient decides who they want involved during their hospital visit. The change also ends “visiting hours” for family members and partners-in-care. Instead, the hospital will have “quiet times” from 10 p.m. until 7 a.m. to help patients get the rest they need.
“We’ve been working hard to follow through on our goal of providing the best experience for our patients and families,” said President and CEO of Lakeridge Health Matthew Anderson, “Giving family members more opportunities to spend time with loved ones and be more involved in their care is a big part of that.”
Family presence not only provides emotional support, it has also been proven to lower readmission rates, improve medication adherence, maintain cognitive function for our senior patients, and even help to prevent falls.
The new policy takes effect at the start of “I Am the Patient Experience” week – an annual event recognizing and encouraging global efforts to improve the health care experience for patients, their family members and partners-in-care.
Learn more about the Family Presence Policy and other ways Lakeridge Health is improving patient experience at the hospital.
Quick Facts
- Lakeridge Health was accredited with exemplary standing with a score of 99.4 per cent. Exemplary standing is given to organizations that go above and beyond the requirements of Accreditation Canada.
- The hospital’s stroke services achieved Stroke Distinction, Accreditation Canada’s highest rating for stroke care.
- The Institute for Quality Management in Healthcare has awarded Lakeridge Health’s laboratory top marks (99.6%).
- The Durham Regional Cancer Centre is the second-highest ranked cancer centre in Ontario.
