For Your Safety

At Southlake, we are committed to making your safety our top priority.  We recognize that patients and families can make their healthcare safer by being active, involved, and informed members of their healthcare team.

"Tell Us

Tell your healthcare professionals about your past and health concerns.  We will respect the confidentiality and privacy of your health information.

• Who is your current family physician/ community healthcare provider?
• Do you have any allergies to medications, foods or the environment?
• Do you currently take any medications? 
• Keep a list of the recent medications you are taking, including how they are taken, how much you take of each (dose), and how often you take them.
• Your community pharmacist can help you to update your medication list, including prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins or supplements, herbal, recreational drugs, and tobacco/nicotine patch use.

Ask Us

Get the information you need to make informed choices by asking us the following:

• What is my health problem or diagnosis?
• What tests or treatments do I need?  Why? What are the risks?
• What are my test results?
• What are my options?
• What choices so I have between various treatments?
• What is the next step in my care/ treatment?
• What are my new medications?
  • Do they replace any current medications?
  • What are they for?
  • What are the side effects to watch for?

To ensure your safety, our staff will review your understanding of this information. Never leave us with unasked questions; always ask us if you are unsure.

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Help Us Keep You Safe

You and your family have an important role to play in your safety:

• Tell your healthcare professionals about your past and current health concerns.  We will respect the confidentiality and privacy of your health information.
• Who is your current family physician/community healthcare provider?
• Do you have any allergies to medications, foods or the environment?
• Do you currently take any medications?  Keep a list of the recent medications you are taking, including how they are taken, how much you take of each (dose), and how often you take them?

Know who we are and why we are part of your team:. 

• Know who we are and why we are part of your team.  Each member of your healthcare team should be wearing a visible Southlake Identification badge.
• Wear/carry your hospital identification – it has been provided for your safety.
• Make sure your healthcare team checks your identification or asks you to state your name and birth date before any tests or procedures, or when taking any medications.

To prevent falls while in the hospital:

• Use your call bell where available, or ask for help before getting up.
• Bring your mobility aids and non-slip footwear with you to the hospital.
• Inform your healthcare provider if you are uncomfortable, need to go to the bathroom, or cannot reach your belongings.

To protect you and your family from infection:

• Wash your hands before and after eating, after using the toilet, or after blowing your nose. Click here for proper handwashing technique.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve.
• Ask your family members not to visit if they are sick.  Advise your family and friends who visit you to clean their hands before and after visiting.
• Check with your healthcare team before you have visitors, especially if you are in isolation.
• Ask your healthcare providers to clean theirs hands, if they have not already done so.

To ensure your safety, our staff will review important instructions with you.  Make sure that you understand your role in patient safety during any hospital visit.

Your Healthcare, Be Involved
One of the keys to getting the best healthcare is to be an active member of your healthcare team.  This means taking part and being involved in every decision of your care and understanding your role in patient safety during your visit.  The Ontario Hospital Association’s Safety Support Service Brochure “Your Healthcare Be Involved” discusses ways for you to be involved. 

Southlake regularly updates our performance on key patient safety measures on our website.  Click here to learn more about our key quality and patient safety initiatives and see our results.

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Other Information for Your Safety:

Alcohol/Non-Prescription Medications
Alcohol, natural remedies and vitamins may interfere with your treatment and cause serious side effects when taken with prescribed medications. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited unless ordered by your doctor and administered by a nurse.

Balloons/Latex Products
For the protection of patients, staff and visitors who may have a latex sensitivity/allergy, Southlake Regional Health Centre does not permit latex products being brought into the Hospital. If you are a patient with a latex sensitivity/allergy please inform a health care professional at admission. Latex balloons also create a safety risk to children should a piece accidentally be inhaled. Foil balloons are acceptable.

Cellular Phones and Walkie-Talkies
The use of cellular phones and walkie-talkies in the Hospital is permitted only in areas marked by appropriate signage. Please watch for these signs.  In areas where use of cellular phone and walkie talkies is not permitted, these devices must be completly turned off; they cannot operate in stand-by mode as they can  nterfere with the operation of critical medical equipment used for patient care.

Please note: portable phones carried by Hospital staff operate on a lower frequency and do not affect the operation of medical equipment.

Fire Safety
You may hear one of our regular fire drills ("Code Red") during your hospital stay. If you are on your patient care unit when you hear the alarm, please return to your room and keep your door closed. If you are in another area of the Hospital such as the Restaurant or Gift Shop, please stay where you are until the "all clear" signal is given. A staff member will inform you should any action become necessary.

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Security
Hospital staff, medical staff, and volunteers are easily identified by their photo identification (ID) badge. It is mandatory for these individuals to wear their ID badge while at the Hospital. If you observe a suspicious activity or individual, have lost personal items, or have any security concerns, please notify a Security Officer at extension 2385 or inform a staff member immediately.

Smoking
Southlake Regional Health Centre is committed to the promotion of good health. Smoking is not permitted anywhere on hospital property, inside or out. Patients and visitors wishing to smoke will have to leave hospital property to smoke. For more information on a Smoke Free Southlake, please click here.

Telephone Solicitation
While you are a patient, please do not give out any personal information about yourself over the telephone to individuals claiming to represent a service or product (i.e., baby photographer, insurances, etc.). The Hospital has no method of ensuring that these companies are reputable or offer a legitimate service or product. If you receive such a call, please advise your nurse immediately.

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