Notre-Dame Hospital - Hearst

Best Times to Visit

Quieter times: No historical wait time data is currently available for this facility. As a general guide, rural emergency departments in smaller communities tend to be less congested on weekday mornings. For non-life-threatening concerns, mid-morning on weekdays is typically a calmer period.

Busier times: No historical wait time data is available. Emergency departments across Ontario generally see higher volumes on evenings, weekends, and holidays. If your condition is not immediately life-threatening, consider calling Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) first to assess whether an ER visit is necessary.

About Notre-Dame Hospital - Hearst

Hôpital Notre-Dame Hospital is a fully accredited 44-bed rural hospital located at 1405 Edward St in Hearst, Ontario, serving the Cochrane District and surrounding Northern Ontario communities including Mattice-Val Côté, Hornepayne, Longlac, and Constance Lake First Nation. The Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no referral required, and provides acute care for residents across a vast, remote region. As a Level C facility, it is best suited for urgent and emergent care needs typical of a rural community hospital; patients requiring advanced specialty interventions may be stabilized and transferred to a larger regional centre.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, Acute medical care (23 acute care beds), Chronic and transitional care (21 beds), Rehabilitative care, Outpatient programs, Chemotherapy clinic, Physiotherapy, OHIP-covered emergency services, Bilingual services (English and French), Community mental health and addictions referral (Maison Renaissance), Missinaibi Clinic partnership (Mattice-Val Côté area).

Amenities

• Fully wheelchair accessible facility
• Bilingual services (English and French)
• On-site administrative office (Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.)

Other Care Options

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Tips Before You Go

• The ER at Notre-Dame Hospital requires no referral — walk in at any time for emergency care.
• Services are billed through OHIP; bring your health card to avoid billing delays.
• As a rural Northern Ontario hospital, complex or critical conditions may require transfer to a larger regional centre — call Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) if unsure whether your needs can be addressed on-site.
• The hospital offers full services in both English and French, making it a designated Francophone-friendly facility for the region.
• If you are travelling from Mattice-Val Côté or surrounding areas, note that the Missinaibi Clinic provides local primary care services and may be appropriate for non-emergency needs.

What to Bring

• Ontario health card (OHIP)
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of current medications and dosages
• Any relevant medical history or previous test results
• Provincial drug benefit card or private insurance information
• Emergency contact information
• Comfortable clothing for potential extended wait times
• Snacks and water for accompanying family members

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 Ontario health data. Actual wait times may vary.

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