COVID-19 INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS

April 18, 2020

• FPMC is continuing to provide care to patients at regular intervals
• Some of your appointments will be changed to phone or video appointments - the FPMC doctor will call you at your designated time
• Some of your appointments will continue to happen in clinic.  We are screening all patients before the arrive, wearing masks to protect you and using strict infection control practices (eg cleaning, minimal numbers of patients in waiting room, etc) to protect you when you come to your appointment.

• Please call the clinic if you are unwell and we will advise the appropriate next steps
• In some situations we will change your in-person appointment to a phone assessment.  In other cases, we will arrange to see you in person in a way that is safe for both you and for us.

• FPMC patients give birth at the Guelph General Hospital.  Currently, they are limiting patient, family and visitor access to the hospital to facilitate active screening.  
• Everyone (staff, patients and visitors) are screened for symptoms of COVID-19 and enhanced infection control procedures are in place throughout the hospital.

April 18, 2020

• If you go into labour, we will care for you in hospital with some extra infection control in place. 
• Before you come to the hospital, call the FPMC on-call doctor at (519) 997-2428 and we'll help you decide if it is time to come in or not.  We will also make sure the hospital is ready for you so you can go directly to an isolation room.
• Hospital restrictions on visitors/support people apply.  Come prepared with everything you'll need for the entire stay

• We will make sure you & your baby receive safe, quality care, respecting your birth plan as closely as possible
• The people caring for you will all be wearing extra protection such as masks, gowns and gloves
• Unless you are deemed high-risk because of other underlying health conditions, you will likely continue to be followed by the FPMC. However, decisions will be made based on your individual situation and transfer of care to a local Obstetrician will be arranged as indicated.

• Your baby will be tested at birth (nasal swab)
• Isolation of your baby is not recommended at this time.  We will help you learn to protect your baby while still providing skin-to-skin, breastfeeding and rooming-in 
•  Before & after close contact or touching your baby, ensure you have thoroughly washed your hands

• Currently people giving birth may have one support person.  This support person must stay with them throughout the hospital stay and be well themselves.  Please refer to the hospital policy documents, below.
• There are no changes to policy on support people during cesarean sections - your support person may stay with you unless you have a general anesthetic (you are put to sleep)