St. Joseph's Healthcare - Charlton Campus

Best Times to Visit

About St. Joseph's Hamilton (Charlton)

St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton – Charlton Campus operates Hamilton's busiest emergency department, handling over 70,000 visits per year at its downtown location on Charlton Ave East. As a 600-plus bed tertiary academic health science centre affiliated with McMaster University, it provides full emergency care alongside specialized services including a dedicated Psychiatric Emergency Service for mental health crises. This is a high-volume urban teaching hospital best suited for serious, complex, and urgent medical needs across all age groups.

Services & Specialties

Full emergency department care (24/7), Psychiatric Emergency Service — specialized mental health and addictions crisis care, Respiratory care (Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health), Regional kidney transplant centre serving ~1.2 million people, Robotic and minimally invasive surgery (Centre for Minimal Access Surgery), Women's and infants' care, Cancer surgery, Trauma and surgical services, Academic teaching and research-integrated emergency care.

Amenities

• Emergency Department entrance open 24/7 (other campus entrances lock at 6 p.m. or 9 p.m.)
• Cafeteria on campus (hours unconfirmed — call 905-522-1155 for current hours)
• SoBi bike-share station on campus
• Paid parking garage with cash and credit card pay stations
• ATM, pharmacy, chapel, and Wi-Fi availability unconfirmed — contact hospital directly at 905-522-1155

Other Care Options

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Tips Before You Go

• This is Hamilton's busiest ER with 70,000+ annual visits — expect a high-volume environment, particularly on evenings and weekends, and bring something to occupy your time during waits.
• The Psychiatric Emergency Service is a dedicated resource for mental health crises; if you or someone you know is experiencing intense emotional distress, staff here are specially trained to help.
• As a teaching hospital affiliated with McMaster University, residents and students may be involved in your care under physician supervision — this is normal and part of the academic care model.
• Bring your valid OHIP card — most emergency fees are covered by OHIP, and having your card ready will speed up registration.
• Campus entrances lock at 6 p.m. or 9 p.m.; always use the Emergency Department entrance for after-hours access, which remains open around the clock.
• Do not bring valuables or large amounts of cash — the hospital cannot be held responsible for lost or stolen personal items during your visit.

What to Bring

• Valid Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) card
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of all current medications, doses, and allergies
• Provincial health card or private insurance information
• Contact information for your family doctor or specialist
• Phone charger or entertainment for potential wait times
• Comfortable clothing or a change of clothes if staying overnight
• Any relevant medical records, imaging, or test results if available

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.