Like many hospitals across Ontario, Windsor Regional Hospital is thinking about loosening its visiting hours policy.

Right now, visitors who are not immediate family are allowed to drop by and see patients between noon and 8pm during the week, and from 1pm to 6pm on weekends and holidays. Immediate family can visit patients anytime, but hospital spokesman Steve Erwin says opening it up to everyone will be problematic. “There’s infection control issues,” he says. “Patients need their rest.”

The other challenge will be the set up of the hospital rooms themselves. “Only about a fifth of them are private, whereas the standard today for new hospitals is about 80%,” says Erwin. “If you’ve got a private room, it’s a bit easier to control infection, you’re not disturbing your bedmate, and they’re also more spacious.”

Erwin says hospital officials are still gaining input from departments across Windsor Regional, families and patients, but new guidelines could be implemented this fall.