Claresholm General Hospital

Best Times to Visit

Quieter times: No historical wait time data is currently available for this facility. Generally, rural emergency departments tend to be less congested mid-morning on weekdays. For non-life-threatening concerns, visiting earlier in the day on a weekday may result in shorter waits.

Busier times: No historical wait time data is currently available for this facility. As with most emergency departments, evenings, weekends, and holidays can see increased patient volumes. If your condition is not an emergency, consider waiting for weekday business hours when possible.

About Claresholm General Hospital

Claresholm General Hospital is a 16-bed rural acute care facility located at 221 43 Ave W in Claresholm, Alberta, operated by Alberta Health Services within the Calgary Zone. The 24-hour emergency department is staffed by physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and respiratory therapists, with patients assessed using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). This ER serves residents of Claresholm and the surrounding south-central Alberta region for urgent and emergent medical needs, with transfer pathways to larger centres such as Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge for complex or specialized care.

Services & Specialties

24-Hour Emergency Care, General Medicine – Inpatients, Day Surgery / Short Stay Surgical Unit, General Radiography (X-Ray), Laboratory Services, Cardiology – Electrocardiogram (ECG), Cardiac Diagnostics – Holter Monitoring, Respiratory Therapy, Community Physiotherapy, Diabetes Clinic, Nutrition Counselling, Social Work Services, Inpatient Pharmacy Services, Spiritual Care Services.

Amenities

• Inpatient Pharmacy Services
• Spiritual Care Services (approx. 15 hours/week)
• Social Work Services
• Patient Information Services (Mon–Fri, 7:45 am–4:00 pm)
• Interpreter / Translation Services
• Volunteer Resources
• Wheelchair Accessible Facility

Other Care Options

Not every health issue needs an ER visit. Find out where to go for care →

Pharmacists in Alberta can assess and prescribe for dozens of common conditions. See what they can treat →

Compare hospital wait times across Canada. View all wait times →

Tips Before You Go

• Claresholm General Hospital is a small 16-bed rural facility — for life-threatening emergencies such as stroke, major trauma, or cardiac events, consider whether transfer to Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge may be needed and call 911 immediately.
• Patient Information Services are available Monday to Friday, 7:45 am–4:00 pm; for after-hours administrative inquiries, support is available through Acute Care at 403-682-3700.
• If you require transportation to the hospital and have no other means, contact the Claresholm & District Transportation Society at 403-625-4455 well in advance, as they operate weekdays only.
• Interpreter and translation services are available at the hospital — inform staff of your language needs upon arrival so arrangements can be made promptly.
• Alberta Health Services has removed formal visiting hour restrictions at this facility, so family members and support persons are welcome to accompany patients; however, always follow any posted infection control guidance.

What to Bring

• Government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver's licence or passport)
• Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) card
• List of current medications, dosages, and allergies
• Provincial health number or out-of-province health insurance information
• Any relevant medical records, referral letters, or recent test results
• Personal comfort items for potential wait times (water bottle, snack, warm layer)
• Emergency contact name and phone number
• Payment method for any applicable fees or prescriptions

Frequently Asked Questions

About ER Wait Times

Emergency departments use triage. Patients with more serious conditions are seen first, regardless of arrival time.

Wait times are estimates based on Alberta health data. Actual wait times may vary.

If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 immediately.