The Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Dialysis Unit has implemented enhanced COVID-­19 prevention protocols to ensure the safety and health of patients and healthcare staff.

The prevention protocols for dialysis patients include the following:

• Patients are required to wash their hands upon entering the Dialysis Unit, before and after using the bathroom and after treatment.
• Patients are asked to sanitize their hands in between treatment and as necessary.
• Staff and patients are required to wear face masks at ALL times while in the Dialysis Unit.
• As part of social distancing protocols, no more than three (3) persons will be allowed to be seated in the waiting area at any time.
• Patients will be allowed in the waiting area thirty (30) minutes prior to treatment or unless otherwise advised.
• Assembling in the corridor or inside the unit before and after treatment will not be permitted.
• All shoes should be removed once seated for treatment and placed on the floor beside you. Shoes may be worn again after treatment and in preparation to leave the unit.
• Patients are asked to bring a pair of socks to be worn during treatment.
• Patients who prefer to leave their shoes on during treatment MUST place a shoe cover over shoes PRIOR to commencing treatment.
• At NO time should patients place the bottom of their shoes on the chair or footrest in the unit.
• For your safety there should be NO eating and drinking while receiving treatment.
• There should be NO sharing of food or other items while awaiting or receiving treatment.

Hospital management remains committed to providing quality service in an environment that is clean, while preventing and/or minimizing the spread of any illness or disease.

Persons experiencing upper respiratory symptoms including fever, cough or difficulty breathing should call the COVID-­19 Call Centre at 411 or 511 before coming to hospital , to avoid unintentional exposure of the virus to other patients or Hospital staff.

The COVID-­19 virus is known to affect certain categories of people including the elderly and patients with medical conditions such as hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cancer and renal failure.  These patients are considered to be a "vulnerable population," meaning, patients with one or more of these conditions are more at risk of getting the virus and can develop severe complications and even death once infected.

Members of the public are encouraged to follow all health advisories, public service announcements and updates regarding health and hospital services for important information.