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Visiting a Patient

We are committed to patient and family-centred care and understand that it is important for families to be together.
Families are welcome to visit their child any time of the day or night.
  • There is sleeping accommodation in each room for a parent to stay overnight.
  • Please ask family and friends not to visit if they are sick.
Visiting hours for others are below. Visitors are encouraged to coordinate their visit with the patient’s family.

These are general guidelines to ensure that the best care is provided to our patients and may be adjusted to accommodate unique child and family situations.

  • BC Children’s Hospital: 2 p.m. 8 p.m. 
Find Directions and parking information, or use the Campus Wayfinding Map (PDF).

Can't visit a patient in person? Use our Best Wishes Program (BC Children's Hospital only) to let them know you are thinking about them.

Best Wishes Program

The Best Wishes Program is a free email service for sending your best wishes to a patient staying at BC Children's Hospital.

All you have to do is:

  1. Email us at bcchbestwishes@cw.bc.ca
  2. Type your email greeting. Please do not send confidential information. Messages containing matters of business or inappropriate content will be deleted.
  3. Include the patients full name (room number or unit if possible) and your full name. Without this information your email may be undeliverable.

Your message will be printed on decorative paper, sealed and hand delivered by one of our hospital volunteers or staff Monday-Friday 9 - 3 p.m.

Important details

  • Patients cannot send a reply email through this service.
  • We cannot deny or confirm the presence of the patient at the hospital.
  • With the patient's verbal consent, we can read the email to them.
  • Emails will not be forwarded if the patient has been discharged.
  • We will destroy undeliverable printed messages within 24 hours.
  • All emails are deleted at the end of each month.
  • For statistical purposes, monthly counts of the number of Best Wishes emails will be tabulated; no other personal information will be kept.

Notice about privacy – yours and the patient’s

Disclosing your and the patient’s personal information is voluntary and will be kept confidential. No one will use any of the information you provide for any other purpose than to deliver your Best Wishes. Your privacy and that of the patient is very important to us, and we have limited the personal information collected to your email address and full name and the patient’s full name. However, all emails are exposed in transit on the web. This means someone may be able to access your email address and see that you are sending a message that identifies the patient is in hospital. 

Also, the email may flow outside of Canada and be subject to the laws of another country. The risks are low but users should be aware of them. Since the patient is not giving his/her permission to reveal this information, you should consider whether he/she would approve.

The personal information you send in your email message is collected by us under the authority of section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act of BC (FIPPA). 

Questions about Best Wishes

If you have any questions about collection and use of this information, please contact Volunteer Resources:

Volunteer Resources
4480 Oak Street
Room 1H43
Vancouver, BC
V6H 3V4

Phone: 604-875-2143
Fax: 604-875-3448
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