St. Joseph's General Hospital - Elliot Lake

Best Times to Visit

Quieter times: No historical wait time data is currently available for this location. Generally, mid-morning on weekdays (after the overnight rush and before the afternoon peak) tends to offer shorter emergency department waits at smaller regional hospitals. For non-urgent concerns, consider weekday mornings.

Busier times: Without historical wait data, specific peak times cannot be confirmed. As a general guide, Friday and Saturday evenings and holiday weekends tend to be busiest at emergency departments. If your concern is not an emergency, weekday morning visits are typically less congested.

About St. Joseph's General Hospital - Elliot Lake

St. Joseph's General Hospital in Elliot Lake, Ontario operates a 24/7 Emergency Department serving residents across the 3.5-hour corridor between Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury. As the only facility in this region offering Intensive Care, Surgical Services, Obstetrical Services, CT Scanning, and Dialysis, it functions as the critical acute care hub for Northern Ontario's mid-corridor communities. Patients arriving at the ER are triaged by a Registered Nurse using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS) to ensure the most urgent cases are treated first.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Surgical Services, Obstetrical Services, Pediatric Care, CT Scanning, Dialysis Services, Inpatient and Outpatient Diabetes Education, Chemotherapy, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Day Surgery, Specialist Clinics (visiting specialists), Addictions Treatment and Withdrawal Management (The Oaks Centre), Continuing Care Unit, French Language Services, NOSM University Medical Education.

Amenities

• Cafeteria (Mon–Fri, breakfast and lunch; hot meals, salad bar, and sandwiches)
• Guest Wi-Fi (SSID: SJGH_Guest; password posted throughout hospital)
• Gift Shop (sells parking tokens and other items)
• French language services available

Other Care Options

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Tips Before You Go

• If you are travelling from outside Elliot Lake, note that this hospital is the only facility in the Sault Ste. Marie–Sudbury corridor offering ICU, surgery, obstetrics, and CT scanning — making it the appropriate destination for serious emergencies in the region.
• Bring a tap-enabled debit or credit card for parking, or pick up tokens at the gift shop upon arrival to avoid any delays when exiting the lot.
• Expect to be triaged by a Registered Nurse using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale — patients with more urgent conditions will be seen before those who arrived earlier, which is standard practice.
• Out-of-town specialists visit regularly, so follow-up care or specialist referrals may be arranged locally, reducing the need to travel to Sudbury or Sault Ste. Marie.
• For non-emergency matters, the ambulatory care unit (Mon–Fri) offers day surgery, specialist clinics, and outpatient diabetes education — contact the hospital at 705-848-7181 to determine if your concern can be addressed outside the ER.

What to Bring

• Valid Ontario health card (OHIP) or other provincial health insurance card
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of current medications, dosages, and allergies
• Any relevant medical records, imaging results, or referral letters
• Personal items for comfort during a potential wait (water bottle, snack, phone charger)
• Payment method (tap-enabled debit or credit card, or cash for parking tokens from the gift shop)
• A trusted contact person's name and phone number
• Warm clothing or a blanket, especially when travelling from rural areas in winter

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.