HÔPITAL RÉGIONAL DE RIMOUSKI

Best Times to Visit

About HÔPITAL RÉGIONAL DE RIMOUSKI

The emergency department at Hôpital Régional de Rimouski operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, serving patients in Rimouski and across the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. As a major regional referral centre operated by the CISSS du Bas-Saint-Laurent, the hospital offers virtually all medical specialties — except neurosurgery and cardiac surgery — with over 100 specialists on staff. It provides supra-specialized care in radio-oncology, nephrology, and neonatology to patients from Bas-Saint-Laurent, Gaspésie, and Côte-Nord, making it the primary destination for complex or serious medical needs across a large area of Eastern Quebec.

Services & Specialties

Emergency medicine (24/7), Cardiology, General surgery, Thoracic surgery, Bariatric surgery, Dermatology, Chronic pain management, Echocardiography, Electrophysiology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology, Gynecology, Inhalotherapy, Mammography, Nuclear medicine, Microbiology and infectiology, Nephrology (supra-specialized), Neurology, Nutrition services, Oncology, Ophthalmology, Radio-oncology (supra-specialized), Neonatology (supra-specialized), Dialysis and hemodialysis, Intensive care unit, Intermediate care unit, Pediatric day medicine, Day surgery, Pathology laboratories, Cytology and diagnostic services, Physiotherapy, Ergotherapy, Fertility services, STI screening program (SIDEP), Sexual assault victim services — adults and children (24/7), Specialized external clinics.

Amenities

• Physiotherapy clinic
• Ergotherapy clinic
• Pathology and cytology diagnostic laboratory
• Breastfeeding room
• Specialized external clinics
• Services primarily offered in French

Other Care Options

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Tips Before You Go

• Hôpital Régional de Rimouski is the primary emergency and referral centre for a large area of Eastern Quebec — if you are travelling from Gaspésie or Côte-Nord, confirm transfer or referral arrangements in advance by calling 418-724-3000.
• All services are provided primarily in French; patients who require communication support in English should notify staff upon arrival so appropriate assistance can be arranged.
• Take advantage of the first two free hours of parking when possible — if your visit may run longer, be prepared to pay via the SPAQ mobile app or at the meter to avoid a ticket.
• For non-life-threatening conditions, consider visiting during off-peak hours (typically mid-morning on weekdays) to potentially experience shorter wait times in the emergency department.
• If you or a family member is a victim of sexual assault, the hospital provides dedicated 24/7 services for both adults and children — you do not need to go through the main emergency triage to access this support.

What to Bring

• Quebec health insurance card (RAMQ card)
• Government-issued photo ID
• List of current medications and dosages
• List of known allergies
• Provincial or private insurance information
• Personal comfort items for potential waiting periods (water bottle, snack, phone charger)
• Any relevant medical records, imaging, or test results
• A support person if possible, especially for elderly or pediatric patients

Parking

The hospital has 330 parking spaces with entrances and exits on Avenue Rouleau and rue St-Louis. The first two hours of parking are free; additional time is charged at the standard rate. Parking is managed by the Société parc-auto du Québec (SPAQ) and payment can be made at meters by exact change, debit card, credit card, Google Pay, Apple Pay, or via a mobile app. Payment is registered by licence plate number at meters located at hospital entrances.

Getting There

Rimouski urban transit bus routes 21 and 31 (CITHBA network) have stops near the hospital. No rapid transit or commuter rail service is available in Rimouski.

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 Quebec health data. Actual wait times may vary.

We check our own accuracy. Forecasting two hours ahead, the ERstat estimate was typically off by 33 minutes against what hospitals themselves later posted, compared with 41 minutes for the hospital's own current figure, and was the closer of the two 58% of the time. See the full scorecard, or how we work the number out.

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