Emergency

In a life threatening emergency, dial 911 for an ambulance.

OR

Proceed immediately to the Emergency Department.

Arrival in the Emergency Department
Available Services
Fast Track Service
Wait Times
Additional Information

Serving the geographical area of Northern York region and south Simcoe County, the Emergency Department provides emergency care to approximately 73,000 patients each year. It is considered the “front door” of the hospital where fifty percent of all in-patient admissions originate. The injuries or illnesses treated in the department range from minor to life threatening.  The Emergency Department provides 24-hour service, 7 days a week and is staffed by a dedicated team of healthcare professionals. 

It may be difficult to know if your problem is serious enough to warrant a visit to an Emergency Department.  If in doubt, go to the nearest Emergency Department.

The Emergency Program’s vision is to provide outstanding, customer friendly, Emergency Care to our community and to be known for our efficient, responsive service and high quality outcomes. 

If the needs of the patient are outside the scope of what Southlake Regional Health Centre can provide (e.g. Neurosurgery, Dialysis), the patient will be assessed, stabilized and transferred to a hospital that offers specialized care that is designed to meet their needs.

Arrival in the Emergency Department

All patients arriving at the Hospital, whether by ambulance or on their own accord, are triaged according to the Canadian Triage Acuity Scale. Patients are assigned a triage level of 1-5, where Level 1 requires immediate, urgent care (potential loss of life or limb) and Level 5 require non-urgent attention (illness and ailments that can be treated by a family physician).

Patients are NOT treated on a first-come, first-serve basis. Instead, they are seen based on their level of need. Although this system can lead to long waits for some patients, it remains the safest and most effective way to deliver care within a busy Emergency Department.  To learn more about the role you can plan in reducing your wait in the Emergency Department, please click here.

Upon arrival in the Emergency Department:

• Have your Health Card ready and be prepared to take a number or speak with the pre-triage screening nurse.  You will be called either by name or number to the Triage desk.  An assessment of your illness or injury will be done by a Triage Nurse.
  
  
• Bring with you a list of all current prescriptions and over the counter medications you are taking, including dosage and frequency.
  
  
• Following your assessment at the Triage Desk, a chart will be made at the Registration Desk.  After completion, you will either be assigned a bed and taken to your room, or asked to wait in the waiting area.
  
  
• You will be assigned a badge to wear while in the Emergency Department.  This will track your progress through the department. The badge is to be returned to one of the white boxes within the department when you leave.
  
  
• There are four care areas in the emergency department. Patients are placed according in each area according to their particular health needs. Care areas may have stretchers or recliner chairs.

• There will be times when your visit to the Emergency Department may take several hours, especially when the department is extremely busy. Please let the staff know if you conditions changes during your wait.  Please notify the Triage Nurse immediately if you are experiencing chest pain or shortness of breath.



• Patients who require admission to the hospital may be required to stay in the Emergency Department until a bed becomes available. 

Southlake’s Emergency Department is a locked department which means all patients and visitors must report to the Triage Nurse, the Registration Clerk or a Volunteer to be enter the inside of the department.  One set of double doors at the back of the department are unlocked during day time hours.  Patients and visitors coming from the main hospital can access the Emergency Department from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

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Available Services

• During regular hours, the Emergency Department has a Discharge Planner who is available to council patients and their families with problems related to hospital admission and discharge.  Discharge Planners also assist patients and families adjust to the effects and complications of illness.  Follow-up phone calls are made by the Discharge Planner when needed.



• A “GEM” (Geriatric Emergency Management) nurse is available to the Emergency Department, whose focus is the frail seniors who are at risk of suffering adverse events, loss of independence and admission to long-term care.  GEM nurses help to build the systems capacity to ensure frail seniors at risk receive the right care in the right place at the right time.  They also provide support to the Emergency Department in developing an Elder Friendly Emergency Health Care Environment.



• Sign Language personnel are available to the Emergency Department 24/7, from services outside the hospital to assist with the care of the hearing impaired.



• Home care can be arranged for patients requiring intravenous medications, wound care, and other treatments prescribed by the doctor. 



• Hospital volunteers dedicated to helping patients, their families and staff is available on a regular basis within the Emergency Department.



• A dedicated Security Service is available 24/7 to support the Emergency Department.



• Pastoral Care is also available 24/7 and any member of the Health Care team will be pleased to assist you in making the necessary arrangements for visits upon request.

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Fast Track Service

The Fast Track are of the Emergency Department operates from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., seven days a week, with dedicated physician coverage.  Orthotech coverage is provided from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., seven days a week.

Wait Times

At Southlake, we are aware of the frustration that patients and families experience when they do not receive the care that they expect or face lengthy wait times while waiting to be seen in our Emergency Department.  For information on Southlake’s wait times, please click here.

Additional Information

Poison Control
1-800-268-9017

Hospital for Sick Children
InfoMed Line (416) 813-5817

Telehealth Ontario
1-866-797-0000

For information on resources available to you during your hospital visit or stay (for example, parking, what to bring, discharge times and other helpful information) please click on Patient and Visitors.

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