Emergency Department

SLMHC provides a fully staffed emergency department (ER) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

When arriving at the registration desk at the emergency entrance, individuals will be asked to report their main medical complaint, health card number, address and allergies. The patient will then be triaged by an emergency nurse and will be asked to provide a history of their medical complaint, report any medications they are taking and participate in a nursing assessment.

How do I request this service?

• For emergencies call 911
• Walk-in patients
• Referrals:  Follow-up appointments for ER can be made for holidays, weekends and evenings when day medicine is closed

When will I be seen?

Our Emergency Department team works to provide quality care as quickly as possible. Our Emergency Department triages (sorts) patients based on level of care needs using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS), which is used in all Emergency Departments across Canada.

The CTAS outlines expected ER assessment times using a scale from 1 (most urgent) to 5 (not urgent). Click here to view the CTAS Scale!

When you are in the Emergency Department, we ask that you let our staff know IMMEDIATELY if your condition/symptoms changes while waiting.

Coughs, Colds, & Flu: When to Stay Home & When to Seek Care

Respiratory viruses, including colds, influenza (flu), RSV, and COVID-19, are very common, especially during fall and winter. Many cause similar symptoms that range from mild to more serious. The good news: most mild to moderate respiratory illnesses can be safely cared for at home, and people recover well with time and rest.

Stay Home and Rest If You Have:

• Cough
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Sneezing
• Fatigue or body aches
• Mild fever that improves with acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil)

Stay home until you are fever-free for 24 hours without medication and symptoms are clearly improving. Should you have any gastro symptoms (vomiting or diarrhea), please remain at home for 48 hrs.

Why this helps: Staying home supports your recovery and helps protect others, especially infants, older adults, pregnant people, and those with chronic health conditions.

What Helps: For most mild to moderate respiratory illnesses, treatment is the same regardless of the virus.

Supportive care at home includes:

• Rest
• Plenty of fluids such as water, soups, and warm drinks
• Acetaminophen or ibuprofen for fever and aches, used as directed
• Throat lozenges or warm fluids for comfort

If you are otherwise stable, there is very little the Emergency Department can offer beyond these same treatments. Antibiotics do not treat viral infections, and testing usually does not change care or speed recovery.

What to Expect if You Come to the Emergency Department

People with mild to moderate cough, cold, or flu-like symptoms are considered non-urgent. This means you will likely experience a wait time, as patients with more serious or life-threatening conditions are treated first.

Get Medical Advice If:

• Symptoms are worsening after a few days
• You are at higher risk of complications
• You need advice or reassurance

Ontario residents can call Health811 (8-1-1) to speak with a registered nurse.

Testing in the Emergency Department

Many people come to the ED hoping to learn exactly which virus they have.

The ED usually does not routinely test for respiratory viruses unless:

• Symptoms are severe enough to require hospitalization
• You have high-risk medical conditions
• The test result would change immediate treatment

For most people with mild to moderate symptoms, testing does not affect care and is not routinely done.