Hamilton hospitals posting wait times for emergency care
You can look up the average length of time it will take to see a doctor or nurse practitioner in Hamilton’s Emergency Departments (ED) and Urgent Care Centres (UCC).
St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton and Hamilton Health Sciences are now posting wait times at HamiltonEmergencyWaitTimes.ca.
The wait times are updated every 15 minutes and will also be posted on screens in ED and UCC waiting rooms.
“We’re pretty excited that we can offer this to patients,” says Dr. Greg Rutledge, Chief of Emergency Medicine, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton. “Patients and families routinely ask how long it will take until they see a doctor. Now they’ll have a better sense of that with up to date information while they wait. It’s a good way to share that information to offer some comfort in a stressful time.”
Rutledge stresses that the wait time information is to help build understanding, and not to choose which location to go to for treatment. He says that should be based on their condition and how urgent the situation is. Patients needing emergency care should always call 9-1-1.
In addition to wait times, the website also includes information about the type of care is provided at an ED and UCC, as well as other healthcare options. This initiative is intended to build understanding, and not affect where individuals go for treatment.
“We want our patients to understand the range of healthcare options available to them, and to be able to prepare for their visit accordingly,” says Dr. Kuldeep Sidhu, Chief of Emergency Medicine at HHS. “Sharing wait times information supports a more informed, empowered patient journey.”
To see the emergency and urgent care wait times, go to HamiltonEmergencyWaitTimes.ca.
Wait times for the following Emergency Departments are available:
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s Charlton Campus Emergency Department
- Hamilton Health Sciences’ Juravinski Hospital Emergency Department
- Hamilton Health Sciences’ Hamilton General Hospital Emergency Department
- Hamilton Health Sciences’ McMaster Children’s Emergency Department
- Hamilton Health Sciences’ West Lincoln Memorial Hospital Emergency Department
Wait times for the following Urgent Care Centres are available:
- St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton’s King Campus Urgent Care Centre
- Hamilton Health Sciences’ West End Clinic Urgent Care Centre
This initiative delivers on direction from the Ontario Government to provide transparency and digital tools for patients.