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Emergency entrance

Coming to Emerg?

Arriving at the Emergency Department (ED)

There are two ways that you or your loved one may arrive in the ED, either by walking in or by ambulance. We have outlined what you can expect in both situations.

Walking In

  • Follow all directions on posted signage at the main entrance regarding masking, hand hygiene, and where to go to register.
  • The registration clerk will update any important information in your file, including address, phone number, the name of your family doctor and the name of your emergency contact.
  • Present yourself to the triage nurse with your medication list handy. An assessment will take place to decide how quickly you will need to see a doctor. This is done using the Canadian Triage Acuity Scores (CTAS).
  • Depending on your symptoms, the nurse may begin some tests such as bloodwork right away.

Depending on the volume of patients in the ED and the severity of your condition, you will be:

  • Asked to take a seat in the waiting room until you are called into the ED.
  • Brought immediately into the ED into a treatment room.

Please remember that Emergency Care is not provided on a first come, first served basis. All patients are assessed by a Triage Nurse and assigned a triage level based on the Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS). Patients are seen in the order of their triage level, not on time of arrival. This Triage process allows us to give priority to those patients whose ailments are most severe and acute.

Ambulance

  • You will be placed on an ambulance offload stretcher in a hallway, so that your ambulance can leave the hospital to be available again in the community.
  • You will be assessed by ED staff.
  • Depending on the severity of your symptoms, you may be asked to go to the waiting room to be triaged.

Please note that coming by ambulance does not mean you will be seen first. The Emergency Department does not operate on a first come, first serve basis. All patients are assessed by a Triage Nurse and assigned a triage level based on the Canadian Triage Acuity Scale (CTAS). Patients are seen in the order of their triage level, not on time of arrival. This Triage process allows us to give priority to those patients whose ailments are most severe and acute.

Ambulance

What Happens Once I Am Brought Into the Emergency Department?

Once you are assigned to a treatment room in the ED, the following will take place:

  • You will be assessed by a Nurse Practitioner and/or Doctor.
  • A care plan will be developed.
  • Treatments and/or tests may be ordered. 

The Doctor will then determine (based on the above info):

  • if further assessment and/or testing is required
  • if you require assessment by a consulting service
  • if you require admission to the Hospital
  • if you can be discharged home
  • any referrals that may benefit you upon discharge

Privacy of Information

SJGHEL protects the privacy of all patients. We can only provide information about a patient’s status as permitted under the Personal Health Information Act (PHIPA).

Treatment and information about a patient cannot be shared with anyone without the patients’ expressed consent. If you call the Emergency Department to ask for information about a patient, please be aware that we, in most cases, are not able to provide information unless the patient has given us permission. If the patient can speak on the phone, we will do our best to make it possible for them to speak to you on our portable phone so they can give you information if they so choose.

Reception

What Other Choices Do I Have, Other Than Coming to the ED?

Residents of Elliot Lake and its surrounding areas are encouraged to consider alternative healthcare choices for treatment of non-urgent medical conditions.

For less urgent health care needs, your first choice should be to call your family doctor/ Primary Care Provider. Make sure you familiarize yourself with their office hours and what plans are made for patients when the office is closed or for patient care when your doctor is away on vacation.

Elliot Lake Family Health Team
31 Nova Scotia Walk
Elliot Lake, ON  P5A 1Y9
(705) 461-8882

Elliot Lake Family Health Team has same-day Nurse Practitioner appointments available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

If you have questions concerning your current medications, we encourage you to consult with your local Pharmacist, if your family doctor is unavailable.

DRUGStore Pharmacy (No Frills)
177 Highway 108
Elliot Lake, ON  P5A 2S9 
(705) 461-6299

Freitag’s Pharmacy
36 Prince Edward Walk
Elliot Lake, ON  P5A 1Z8
(705) 848-1026

Pharmachoice
267 Hillside Drive South,
Elliot Lake, ON  P5A 1N7
(705) 848-0004

Pharmasave Angus Pharmacy
14 Brunswick Walk
Elliot Lake, ON  P5A 2A8
(705) 847-0022

Rexall
31 Nova Scotia Walk
Elliot Lake, ON  P5A 1Y9
(705) 848-2451

Shoppers Drug Mart
220 Ontario Avenue
Elliot Lake, ON  P5A 1Y5
(705) 848-7125