BCH Visitation Restriction

Updated: 10/7/2021

Effective Immediately: Due to the increased volume and high transmission rate of Covid-19, visitation to the Second Floor (Medical-Surgical Floor) is restricted.


If a visitor is essential to the care of the family member or if the visitor is a family member or legal representative of a patient in imminent end-of-life situations, we ask that the visitor goes to the switchboard upon arrival in order to request special permission to visit.


Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our patients, employees, and community safe!

Vaccine Scheduling – 3/5/2021

VACCINE SCHEDULING FOR 3/5/2021 HAS BEEN FILLED. THANK YOU!

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is scheduling a LIMITED number of Johnson and Johnson COVID vaccine appointments for any individual who qualifies for category 1A or 1B as determined by the NYS Department of Health (essential worker, 65+ years of age, or comorbidities as determined by NYS DOH). This clinic is by appointment only.

Please call (716) 261-5893 OR (716) 261-6965 to schedule. Please be patient, as we anticipate a high volume of callers during this time. Please DO NOT leave a voicemail message as the mailbox is not monitored; please DO NOT call the Hospital Main Phone line to schedule. Once these appointment are full, we will post an updated status on Facebook. The phone line will only be on when there are available appointments.

Please keep checking our Facebook page or website (under News and Events) for updates as more vaccine becomes available.

Update Regarding First Dose COVID Vaccines for Essential Workers Category 1B

Updated: 2/5/2021

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is scheduling first dose COVID vaccine appointments TODAY for Saturday, February 6 for any ESSENTIAL WORKER classified IN Category 1B, as defined by the NYS Department of Health Vaccine Priority List, who has not yet been vaccinated.

Please call 716-261-5893 to schedule. Limited spots are available. Please do not leave a voicemail on this line; phone will only be monitored when appointments are available.

You must present a valid work ID or letter from your essential employer to prove eligibility.

Please continue to check our Facebook page or website as more vaccine becomes available.

Update Regarding First Dose COVID Vaccines for Essential Workers Category 1B

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is scheduling first dose COVID vaccine appointments today, Thursday February 4, for any ESSENTIAL WORKER classified IN Category 1B, as defined by the NYS Department of Health Vaccine Priority List, who has not yet been vaccinated.

Please call 716-261-5893 to schedule. Limited spots are available. Please do not leave a voicemail on this line; phone will only be monitored when appointments are available.

You must present a valid work ID or letter from your essential employer to prove eligibility.

Please keep checking our Facebook page or website as more vaccine becomes available.

Update Regarding First Dose COVID Vaccines for Essential Workers Category 1B

Updated: 2/3/2021

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is scheduling first dose COVID vaccine appointments today, Wednesday February 3, for any ESSENTIAL WORKER classified in Category 1B, as defined by the NYS Department of Health Vaccine Priority List, who has not yet been vaccinated.

Please call 716-261-5893 to schedule.

You must present a valid work ID or letter from your essential employer to prove eligibility.

Please keep checking our Facebook page or website as more vaccine becomes available.

Update Regarding First Dose COVID Vaccines for Healthcare Workers

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is scheduling first dose COVID vaccine appointments for any healthcare worker who has not yet been vaccinated today (Tuesday, February 2) from 4-7:45pm. Please call 716 261-5893 to schedule.

You must present valid work ID or letter from your healthcare employer to prove eligibility.

Keep checking our Facebook page or website for updates as more vaccine becomes available.

Update Regarding Visitation at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital

Updated: 1/29/2021

With the lifting of the orange and yellow restriction zones in Erie County, NYS Department of Health declared that hospital visitation can begin again with strict safeguards that will limit the possibility of the spread of COVID-19 to patients, staff, and visitors.

Effective Monday, February 1, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital will resume visitation on the Medical Floor.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital has adopted and is implementing the following measures in order to resume visitation on the Medical Floor:

  • Visitation hours are from 10:00am to 12:00pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm, only. Visitors are only to visit the patient’s room and should not walk around other areas of the Hospital building.
  • Per the NYS Department of Health, visitors must be greater than 18 years old, with the exception of end-of-life visits.
  • Visitation will be limited to one visitor per patient at a time.
  • Visitors must wear a mask over their mouth and nose when in the Hospital building. If entering an Isolation Precaution room, visitors will be required to wear all appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). If the visitor does not agree to wear all appropriate PPE, they can be denied visitation.
  • Visitors must enter Bertrand Chaffee Hospital through the Main Entrance lobby door and must proceed directly to the screening table.
  • Visitors will be screened for temperature, any COVID symptoms in the last 14 days, and any contact with a COVID positive person in the last 14 days.
  • Information about the risks of visiting will be given to the visitor at the screening desk and their name, phone number, who they are visiting, and the date and time of the visit will be recorded. Visitors will be given a “Visitor” sticker to wear.

Emergency Room visitation remains unchanged; one visitor per patient at the discretion of the Emergency Room staff and will undergo the screening process and procedures as outlined above.

Ambulatory Surgery patients undergoing same-day procedures may be accompanied by one person, only, and will undergo the screening process and procedures as outlined above.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, following guidance from the New York State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, reserves the right to modify these policies and measures at any time.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital to Postpone Non-Essential Elective Surgeries

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, in accordance with directive from the New York State Department of Health, is postponing all non-essential elective surgeries until further notice, effective Friday, December 4, 2020. Per the NYS Department of Health, all hospitals in Erie County are required to follow this directive.

The postponement is part of Governor Cuomo’s Winter Plan, announced on Monday, November 30. The surgery postponement directive may be extended to other counties in order to ensure the availability of resources within each hospital needed to treat the increasing volume of COVID-positive patients.

The NYS Department of Health directive outlines specific detail on actions to take based on the type of surgery and health of the patient. Bertrand Chaffee Hospital is in contact with patients scheduled for upcoming scheduled surgical procedures; should patients have additional questions or if further assistance is needed, please contact the Surgical Center at (716) 794-3295 or their respective provider.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital assures you that we are here for our community to meet your health care needs and encourages community members to continue to practice proper mask wearing, social distancing, handwashing, and limiting your time out in public and in groups of any size. Thank you for working hard to keep our community safe.

Update Regarding Elective Surgeries at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital continues to await official written directives from New York State regarding the NYS Governor issued directive around suspension of elective surgery issued on Monday, November 30.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, along with other hospitals throughout Erie County, is seeking clarification on this directive. For example, does this only mean elective/planned surgery that requires an overnight stay, does this impact same-day procedures, etc. We are advocating that Erie County, including Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, keep same-day and emergent procedures versus those that require an overnight stay (“inpatient electives”). Presently, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital, following guidance from the NYS Department of Health, pre-screens and tests all surgical patients prior to their scheduled procedure.  

Once we receive further direction and information from New York State regarding restriction or resumption of cases, we will communicate appropriately with our providers, staff and patients.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital has been working with the NYS Department of Health, Erie County Department of Health, and Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) to find out more information about how these new requirements will impact our operations and ability to continue to provide care for patients.

A Reminder to Our Community Regarding COVID-19 Testing at Bertrand Chaffee Hospital:

All COVID-19 screening requires a prescription from the patient’s primary care provider. At this time, outpatient rapid testing is not available.

In order to better serve our patients and continue to provide a safe environment for fellow patients and staff, we are asking patients to call ahead to the Hospital if COVID testing is ordered in order to have a pre-registration process and the opportunity for possible outdoor swabbing or alternative entrances that do not pass through patient care areas. This will allow us to provide a more controlled process for patients to be tested without an increased risk of exposure to our staff and high risk patients.

There is no free testing for asymptomatic patients. This is available at the county health department in county in which the patient resides.

Bertrand Chaffee Hospital appreciates your cooperation with this process to continue to do our part to reduce community spread and decrease potential exposure.