Hôpital et CHSLD du Pontiac

Best Times to Visit

About HÔPITAL ET CHSLD DU PONTIAC

Hôpital et CHSLD du Pontiac in Shawville, QC is a rural community hospital operated under CISSS de l'Outaouais, offering 24/7 emergency care with 4 functional stretcher bays suited for non-critical and moderate-acuity presentations. The facility serves residents across the Pontiac region in both English and French, providing general medical care, diagnostic services, and an ICU alongside a long-term care (CHSLD) component. Patients with complex surgical emergencies, trauma, cardiac events, strokes, or obstetrical needs are typically transferred to larger centres in Gatineau or Ottawa.

Services & Specialties

24/7 Emergency Department, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), General medical and diagnostic services, Walk-in blood draw (prélèvements) — weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with requisition, Long-term care (CHSLD) for non-autonomous elderly residents, Bilingual care (English and French), Federal Interim Health Program (PFSI) for eligible refugee claimants, Wheelchair-accessible facilities including elevator and ramp.

Amenities

• Elevator access
• Wheelchair ramp
• Visiting hours: 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily
• Bilingual services (English and French)
• Contact hospital directly at 819-647-2211 for cafeteria, ATM, pharmacy, and Wi-Fi availability

Other Care Options

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Tips Before You Go

• With only 4 stretcher bays, this ER is best suited for non-critical conditions — if you are experiencing a heart attack, stroke, or major trauma, call 911 and be aware you may be transferred to a larger centre in Gatineau or Ottawa.
• For maternity or obstetrical emergencies, plan to go directly to Gatineau or Ottawa, as no deliveries are performed at Hôpital du Pontiac.
• If you need blood work done, the walk-in prélèvements (blood draw) service runs Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. — bring your medical requisition to avoid delays.
• The hospital provides bilingual care in both English and French, so do not hesitate to communicate in your preferred official language.

What to Bring

• Valid provincial health card (RAMQ card)
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of current medications and dosages
• Any relevant medical requisitions or referral documents
• Provincial drug insurance card or private insurance information
• Emergency contact information
• Comfortable clothing and a warm layer (wait areas can be cool)
• Snacks and water, especially given limited on-site amenity information

Parking

Disability-designated parking is available on-site.

Getting There

Shawville is a small rural community in the Pontiac region of western Quebec with very limited public transit options. Most patients arrive by private vehicle; taxi or rideshare are the most practical alternatives if you do not have access to a car.

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 ERstat’s estimates, built from what hospitals publish, or from our model where a hospital publishes no wait. They are not the hospital’s own figures. Actual waits may vary.

We check our accuracy every night against what hospitals later post. Forecasting two hours ahead, our estimate is typically off by 32 minutes. See the accuracy scorecard, or how we work the number out.

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