Note: if you are having a medical emergency, please call 911 immediately.
The Emergency Department at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre is one of the busiest in Canada with over 100,000 visits per year.
How to Get Here/What to Expect
The Emergency Department has its own set of doors on the south side of the building. Metered parking is available immediately outside, with two other parking lots nearby. Upon entering the Emergency Department, please wash your hands with hand sanitizer and wait in line for the next available nurse.
Please remember to bring your Health Card every visit.
At the desk, a triage nurse will ask you general questions about your condition and swipe your Health Card. You will then be asked to have a seat in the waiting room, where you will be called and admitted into the Health Sciences Centre. Then, you will be asked to return to the waiting room until you are called once again to be “triaged” or assessed by a nurse, who will take your vital signs (temperature, blood pressure, etc.) and will ask you more specific questions. After this assessment, you will be asked to return to the waiting room until you are called for treatment.
Please note: although Emergency Department staff work hard to see you as soon as possible, patients are seen based on the seriousness of their injuries/illness, not in order of arrival. Those with less serious injuries may be required to wait longer.
If your symptoms worsen while you are waiting, please approach the desk and let the nurse know. Nurses will also be watching your condition while you are in the waiting room – in fact, the area is set up so that the nurse at the desk can see and monitor all patients. Nurses may also check your vital signs again, depending on your symptoms and the wait time. You are also welcome to approach the nurse if you feel you have been waiting a long time.
We have made the waiting room as comfortable as possible for our patients with a wide variety of vending choices including hot and cold drinks, snacks, and healthy choices. We have also created a children’s play area and installed TVs to help you pass the time. You may also wish to bring a book or some other form of entertainment. Electronic devices are allowed, but please be respectful of the other patients and family members around you.
