Saskatchewan will become the first province in Canada to allow unrestricted visiting hours at health care facilities. When fully implemented, families will be able to visit patients 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Loved ones play an essential role in improving patients’ health, and help further our goal of providing high-quality, patient-focused care,” said Saskatchewan Health Minister Dustin Duncan.
“To me, this policy change is an easy one to make.”
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The patient will define who family is – such as relatives or people they are close to – and have the final say whether they want visitors 24 hours a day.
Officials say moving to this approach recognizes that families are an important part of patient care and have many benefits, including increased coordination of care with front-line staff, fewer medication errors, fewer readmissions, and an overall better experience.
All health regions in the province have adopted the policy and are currently at various stages of implementation.
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