Frequently Asked Questions

• Do you have parking & how do I pay for parking?
• What are your visiting hours and are there any age restrictions for visiting?
• What is your discharge time from hospital?
• How do I get to your hospital and do you have maps and directions?
• How do I contact a patient, by phone, letter, or email?
• Who do I contact for a job?
• Who do I contact for volunteering?
• How do I send flowers, balloons or gifts?
• How do I make a donation?
• Do you have a cafeteria or restaurant?
• Do you have a bank machine?
• Do you have a pharmacy?
• Who do I contact with a compliment or complaint?
• Can my family stay overnight in my room with me?
• Is there public transit available?
• Are cell phones allowed in the hospital?
• Do you have interpreters?
• What services and/or items are not covered by OHIP?
• Will the hospital respect my Advance Care Directive, Living Will and/or Organ Donation consent?
• How do I find a family doctor taking new patients?
• Is there wheelchair assistance and can I get a wheelchair at the door?
• How do I access my medical record?

Do you have parking & how do I pay for parking?

Patient, visitor and handicapped parking is available on the east side of the hospital and is accessible from both Davis Drive and Roxborough Road.

Due to the construction of our new six-storey parking structure, there is no longer visitor parking on the west side of the Hospital. Patients wishing to access the Emergency Department must park in the main visitor lot and walk outside to get to the Emergency Department (there is currently no access to the department within the hospital because of construction).

For Emergency patients who are not well enough to walk from the parking lot, Southlake is pleased to offer complimentary car parking assistance. To access this service, just drive up to the Emergency entrance and a parking representative will park your car and return your keys and parking ticket to you inside the department.

To use our new visitor parking system:

If you have any difficulty using the system, just press the intercom button located at the entrance gates and a member of our parking team will be ready to assist you. For information on parking rates, please click on Hospital Services.

For further information on parking, please click on Patients and Visitors.

What are your visiting hours and are there any age restrictions for visiting?

Visiting hours are daily from 2:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Only two visitors are permitted at one time. Children under the age of 12 are discouraged from visiting the Hospital. The health care team will consider requests for exceptions if it is deemed to be in the patient's best interest. For further information, please call extension 2118 and request to speak with a member of the patient's health care team. Individuals who are feeling ill or have been in contact with an infectious disease are urged not to visit patients in the Hospital.

What is your discharge time from hospital?

Planning for discharge begins at the time of patient admission. The health care team, in collaboration with the patient and the family, will determine when the patient is ready to go home. Patients are encouraged to arrange for a family member or friend to pick them up by the discharge time given so that other patients requiring admission can be accommodated.

For further information on discharge please click on Patients and Visitors.

How do I get to your hospital and do you have maps and directions?

Southlake Regional Health Centre is located at 596 Davis Drive in Newmarket. To access a map, detailed directions or other navigational aids, please click click here.

How do I contact a patient, by phone, letter, or email?

A special service is offered through the Hospital's website that allows patients to receive e-mails from family and friends during their hospital stay. For further information, please click on Contact Us.

Written correspondence can be addressed to the patient (and room number) in care of Southlake Regional Health Centre, 596 Davis Drive, Newmarket, ON L3Y 2P9.

To reach a patient by telephone, please call 905-895-4521, extension 2118.

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Who do I contact for a job?

The Hospital’s Human Resources Department manages all information relating to staff positions and career opportunities. For detailed information on how to forward a resume or to complete a job application form,click here.

Physicians who are interested in learning more about career opportunities at Southlake, can contact the Hospital’s Medical Staff office at 905-895-4521, extension 2122 or click here.

Who do I contact for volunteering?

For information on volunteer opportunities or requirements to volunteer at Southlake, please call the Community Resources Department at (905) 895-4521, extension 2104 or click here.

How do I send flowers, balloons or gifts?

Individuals wishing to send flowers or other gift items to a patient in the Hospital can contact a number of community-based flower and gift shops to make the necessary arrangements.

In addition, individuals can directly purchase items from Southlake’s Gift Shop, which offers a wide selection of gift items and flower arrangements. The Gift Shop is located on the level one of the East Building.

Flowers and gift items received at the Hospital will be delivered to the patient care unit by the delivery service or a Hospital volunteer. Due to an increasing number of staff and patients reporting severe allergic reactions when exposed to lilies, it is requested that lilies not be included in any arrangements delivered to the Hospital.

For the protection of patients, staff and visitors who may have a latex sensitivity/allergy, Southlake does not permit latex products being brought into the Hospital. Latex balloons also create a safety risk to children should a piece accidentally be inhaled. Foil balloons are acceptable.

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How do I make a donation?

There are numerous ways for supporters to make a donation to the Hospital’s Foundation, including making a safe and secure online donation. For additional information, please contact the Southlake Regional Health Centre Foundation at 905-836-7333 or click here.

Do you have a cafeteria or restaurant?

Southlake offers a variety of resources for individuals to purchase food items. They include:

• A Coffee Kiosk, located on level one of the East Building, offering Tim Hortons coffee, baked goods and other food and beverage items. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday 6:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
  
• Traditions Marketplace & Grill is located on level one of the East Building and offers a wide selection of hot entrees, soups, sandwiches, beverages and desserts at reasonable prices. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
  
• In addition, vending and/or pop machines are located on several floors throughout the Hospital. Snack items are also available in the Hospital’s Gift Shop.

Do you have a bank machine?

A Bank of Montreal automated bank machine is located close to the entrance doors of the East Building and can be accessed with any Interac bank card.

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Do you have a pharmacy?

For the convenience of our patients, visitors and staff, Bridle Trail Pharmacy is located in the lobby of the Hospital’s East Building. For information on hours of operation, please call extension 5988.

Who do I contact with a compliment or complaint?

Written or verbal feedback is strongly encouraged at Southlake, as it allows us to better understand the unique needs of the people we serve and to improve our processes. Should you wish to express an opinion, please feel free to speak directly with the manager of your health care team or contact Southlake’s Patient Advocate at:

Patient Advocate
Southlake Regional Health Centre
596 Davis Drive
Newmarket, ON L3Y 2P9

(T) 905-895-4521, extension 2290

Can my family stay overnight in my room with me?

Every effort will be made to honour requests for one family member or support person to stay overnight with their loved one, provided it is deemed to be in the best interests of the patient. Family members who wish to stay overnight should advise a member of the health care team as early in the day as possible. Although every effort will be made to make overnight guests as comfortable as possible, limited space and resources do not allow for home-like accommodations and supports to be offered (e.g., comfortable sleeping arrangements, access to showers, etc.).

Is there public transit available?

Newmarket Transit and GO Transit have several bus stops in close proximity to the Hospital. For information on routes and timetables, please call Newmarket Transit at 905-853-7391 or call GO Transit at 1-888-438-6646.

For your convenience, phones providing a direct link to a local taxi company are located in the lobbies of the East and West Building lobbies.

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Are cell phones allowed in the hospital?

The use of cellular phones and walkie-talkies in the Hospital is strictly prohibited. These devices interfere with the operation of critical medical equipment used for patient care. These devices must be completely turned off; they cannot be on stand-by mode.

Do you have interpreters?

Southlake maintains a current list of personnel and volunteers who are able to provide interpreter services. For further information, please speak with a member of the health care team or contact the Telecommunications Department at extension 2118.

What services and/or items are not covered by OHIP?

Services/items not covered by OHIP include:

• Ambulance transportation (some exceptions apply)
• Cast sandals
• Fiberglass casts
• Knee immobilizers
• Soft collars
• Aerochambers
• Shoulder immobilizers
• Air Cast foam walkers
• Clavicle braces
• Ankle splints
• Crutches
• Preferred accommodations such as private, joined and semi private rooms

In addition to the uninsured services/items listed, Canadian residents who do not provide a valid Provincial Health Card Number and residents from other countries (e.g., US) will be charged by the Hospital for use of the Emergency facility and by the individual physician for the cost of medical services incurred. Physicians are not employees of Southlake Regional Health Centre and, therefore, bill separately for their services.

For further information on insured services/items and payment options, please click on Patients and Visitors.

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Will the hospital respect my Advance Care Directive, Living Will and/or Organ Donation consent?

How do I find a family doctor taking new patients?

Currently, there is a severe shortage of family doctors taking new patients in the majority of communities located outside of Ontario’s major city centres, including northern York Region and south Simcoe County.

In addition to actively recruiting new family physicians to our area, Southlake also offers a Fast Track Service through our Emergency Department and a Prenatal Clinic through our Maternal Child Program. These services enable community residents to obtain necessary medical attention until such time as they are able to find a family doctor. In addition, as family doctors join the health care team, their names and contact information are posted on the Hospital’s website. Please click here for further information. In addition, visit the College of Physicians and Surgeons website at www.cpso.on.ca where a list of physicians taking new patients is also published.

Is there wheelchair assistance and can I get a wheelchair at the door?

Every effort is made to maintain a supply of wheelchairs at both entrances to the East and West buildings. Should you arrive and none are available, please approach the Information Desk to request assistance or call extension 2118.

If you require assistance in transferring in and out of your car or in being transported to your appointment, it is recommended that you ask a family member or friend to accompany you to the Hospital. Once inside the Hospital, you can request escort assistance at the Information Desk or by calling extension 2118.

How do I access my medical record?

Patients requiring copies of their medical record must call the Health Information Department Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at extension 2635 prior to coming into hospital. Staff will ensure that the appropriate documentation is available for your collection.

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