Emergency Wait Times

If you are in need of serious medical attention,
CALL 911 or go to your nearest Emergency Department.

 

Visit the non-urgent options available site to access and navigate different healthcare services within the Windsor Essex County Area.

 

Due to rapidly changing volumes and demands in the emergency department and the need to see the sickest patients first, your wait time may be more or less than the time displayed.

 

Due to rapidly changing volumes and demands in the emergency department and the need to see the sickest patients first, your wait time may be more or less than the time displayed.

 

FAQ's

What are Emergency Wait Times?

Emergency wait times can be many things: the length of wait to be triaged, the length of wait to see a nurse, the wait to see a doctor or nurse practitioner and the wait until discharge home or to an inpatient floor. For the information posted above, wait time refers to the length of time between being assessed by a triage nurse and seeing a doctor or nurse practitioner.

How will I be assessed for my turn to be seen?

The emergency department does not work on a first-come, first-served system. It’s important to know that critical patients will be seen first, whether they arrive on their own or via ambulance. Upon arrival in the department, you will be assessed using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). You will be seen by a doctor based on that assessment. In simple terms, the sickest patients will be seen most quickly.

How do you calculate Emergency Department wait times?

We measure the wait time posted above as the time from when a triage nurse assesses you until the time you see a doctor for assessment. Because new patients arrive frequently, estimated wait times can change significantly.

Your personal experience may vary from these posted wait times based on several factors:

  • Patients with more life-threatening situations arriving in the Emergency Department after you
  • The volume of patients waiting to be seen compared to the number of doctors working.

What do the numbers on the wait times prediction mean?

The number of All Patients in the Emergency Department includes those waiting in the ED waiting room after being registered and triaged by the triage nurse, as well as all patients currently inside the ED being treated. The number of patients waiting for a physician refers to the number of patients who, after triage, have been called to the Emergency Department Zone and are awaiting an assessment from the physician.

I'm not sure if I need emergency treatment. What should I do?

Health Connect Ontario is a free, confidential service, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Information is provided by a registered nurse.
  • Phone: 811
  • TTY: 1-866-797-0007

Also, you can visit the non-urgent options available site to access and navigate different healthcare services within the Windsor Essex County Area.

For information about the Emergency Department, including what to bring and what to expect when here, please visit our Emergency Care webpage.

How can I share feedback about this tool or ED wait times?

To share your feedback, please visit the WRH feedback form here.

 

DISCLAIMER

  • Wait times are provided for general information only. The displaying of wait times is not medical advice or a recommendation to go to a different Emergency Department to receive care.
  • Please be advised that wait times can change significantly and immediately, without warning, and are not guaranteed. Patients are seen based on their medical condition and the severity of their situation.
  • Due to rapidly changing demands and the need to see the sickest patients first, your own wait time may be more or less than the time displayed on this website.
  • WRH does not assume and is not responsible for any liability arising from any person’s use of this website, including any decisions made about their health as a result of accessing this website.