If you think you or a loved one is experiencing a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 right away.
Hamilton Health Sciences operates three emergency departments in Hamilton and one in Grimsby. Our emergency teams care for patients from across the region with serious and life-threatening conditions.
Emergency departments receive ambulances and walk-in patients. They are staffed by doctors, nurses, and many other healthcare professionals who are trained in emergency care.
Please note: Our emergency departments experience high volumes of patients who are treated in order of urgency, not by arrival time. Please be patient. If your health concern is not an emergency, consider visiting an urgent care centre or making an appointment with your family doctor. Learn more about your healthcare options at NeedADoc.ca. To view current wait times at all Hamilton-area emergency departments and urgent care centres (updated every 15 minutes), please visit emergencywaittimes.ca
Find an Emergency Department:
All emergency departments are open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
For Children (age 17 and under)
McMaster Children’s Hospital
1200 Main St West
Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z5
For Adults
Juravinski Hospital
711 Concession St
Hamilton, ON L8V 1C3
Hamilton General Hospital
237 Barton St East
Hamilton, ON L8L 2X2
West Lincoln Memorial Hospital
169 Main St East
Grimsby, ON L3M 1P3
When to Visit an Emergency Department
An emergency is a life-threatening illness or injury. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 right away.
Examples of emergencies:
- trouble breathing
- bleeding that won’t stop
- chest pain or pressure
- broken bones
- partial or total amputation of a limb
- traumas or injuries to the head
- deep cuts or wounds
- severe burns
- severe pain
- poisoning
- loss of consciousness – unable to wake
- sudden headaches, dizziness, weakness, numbness, trouble seeing or speaking
- mental health issues
- severely ill or injured children
- obstetrical emergencies (labour & delivery)
When to Visit an Urgent Care Centre
If you’re experiencing an illness or injury that isn’t an emergency but can’t wait for an appointment with a family doctor, an urgent care centre is a good option for you. Urgent care centres treat all ages: children and adults.
Examples of medical issues which require urgent care:
- minor cuts or wounds that may require stitches
- simple broken bones
- sprains, strains or deep bruises
- ear infections
- fevers, coughs, congestion, and sore throats
- insect bites, rashes and scrapes
Main Street West Urgent Care
690 Main Street West
Hamilton, ON
Hours: Noon – 7:00 p.m., 7 days a week
Urgent Care – King Campus (St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton)
2757 King Street East
Hamilton, ON
Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m., 7 days a week
Resources
NeedADoc.ca: Learn about your healthcare options in Hamilton.
Your Healthcare Options: Learn more about your healthcare options in Ontario on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s website.
Health Connect Ontario: Call for free access to a registered nurse who can answer your general, non-urgent health questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 811 or 1-866-797-0007.
