An emergency is a life-threatening illness or injury. If you think you’re having a medical emergency, call 9-1-1 right away. While not a complete list, the following can best be handled in the Emergency Department (ED)

• Trouble breathing
• Bleeding that won’t stop
• Chest pain or pressure
• Broken bones
• Partial or total amputation of a limb
• Traumas or injuries to the head
• Deep cuts or wounds
• Severe burns
• Severe pain
• Poisoning
• Loss of consciousness – unable to wake
• Sudden headaches, confusion, dizziness, weakness, numbness, trouble seeing or speaking
• Mental health issues
• Severely ill or injured children
• Obstetrical emergencies (labour & delivery)
• New onset seizures or convulsions
• Severe vomiting or diarrhea

For concerns that do not require emergency medical support, consider alternate healthcare options.

Alternative Care Options include:

• Your Family Doctor or Nurse Practitioner
  • Kirkland District Family Health Team: 1-705-567-2224
  • Englehart & District Family Health Team: 1-705-544-2321
  • Mino M’shki-ki Indigenous Health Team: 1-705-647-7855 Ext. 2100
  • Centre De Sante Communautaire - Kirkland Lake: 1-705-567-1414
  • Centre De Sante Communautaire - Larder Lake: 1-705-643-2442
  • Centre De Sante Communautaire - Virginiatown: 1-705-634-2223

• Health811
  OHIP covered, 24/7 access. Connect with a registered nurse for secure and confidential health advice. Dial 811 (TTY: 1-866-797-0007) or chat online at Ontario.ca/Health811.

• North East Virtual Care (OHIP-covered): Ideal for episodic issues, available daily 1-9 PM. Visit nevirtualcare.ca.

• Mental Health Support
  Access to free counselling sessions and other Mental Health support services for youth, adult, seniors. Click here to access or call 1-866-531-2600.

• Poison Control
  24/7 access over the phone. Can help with poison emergencies and with questions about poisoning. Call 1-844-764-7669 (Toll-free).

• Pharmacies
  Pharmacists in Ontario can assess and recommend suitable treatment options including a prescription (if needed) for the following minor ailments. This service is available based on staffing - always call ahead to confirm availability. Learn more about what Pharmacists can help with in the section below.

Sometimes you need non-urgent, but timely care. Some Pharmacists in Ontario can assess and recommend suitable treatment options including a prescription (if needed) for the following minor ailments.

This service is available based on staffing - always call ahead to confirm availability. Consultation can support treating:

• Bacterial skin infection (impetigo)
• Canker sores
• Cold sores
• Diaper rash
• Eczema and allergic skin rash
• Heartburn and indigestion
• Hemorrhoids
• Insect bites and stings
• Joint and muscle pain
• Mild acne
• Menstrual pain
• Nasal allergies (i.e., hay fever)
• Nausea and vomiting of pregnancy
• Pink eye (due to allergies or bacteria)
• Pinworms and threadworms
• Thrush (fungal infection of the mouth)
• Tick bites (Lyme disease prevention)
• Urinary Tract Infection (unless you are: pregnant, assigned male at birth, immunocompromised, or have had another UTI in the last four weeks)
• Yeast infection

Minor ailments are described as health conditions that can be managed with minimal treatment and/or self-care strategies. Additional criteria include:

• Usually, a short-term condition
• Lab results aren’t usually required
• Low risk of treatment masking underlying conditions
• No medication or medical history red flags that could suggest a more serious condition
• Only minimal or short-term follow-up is required
• Patients are encouraged to speak to their pharmacist to find out what healthcare services they offer and whether they are right for their needs. Having the legislated authority to prescribe for minor ailments does not mean all pharmacists must offer or provide this service.

For more information contact your local or preferred pharmacy:

• Pharmasave BDR Drug Mart, 1-705-567-3315, 15 Station Rd N, Kirkland Lake
• Kirkland Pharmacy PharmaChoice, 1-705-567-3223, 38 Government Rd W, Kirkland Lake
• Loblaw Pharmacy, 1-705-567-4941, 15 McChesney Ave, Kirkland Lake
• Rx Drug Mart, 1-705-544-8054, 63 5th St, Englehart
• Pharmasave Marshall's, 1-705-544-7878, 43 3rd St, Englehart
• Pharmasave Larder Lake, 1-705-643-2400, 15 Godfrey St, Larder Lake
• I.D.A. - Earlton Pharmacy, 1-705-563-8300, 14 10th St E, Earlton

• Your health card.
• All of your current medications (or a list of them or pictures of all containers) to ensure we have the most current list.
• Consider bringing water and snacks as well as reading materials, knitting, or other hobbies to help pass the time.
• Do not bring any more people with you than absolutely necessary. This will help lessen congestion in the waiting room.
• Be a 'patient' patient or family member:
  • Patients are seen based on the severity of their condition. You may have arrived first, but a patient in critical condition or an ambulance carrying car accident victims may arrive during the same time period and they will usually require our immediate attention.



Please remember that the ED staff and doctors are working very hard and often under stressful situations, but you will be cared for as soon as time allows.

When you arrive to the Emergency Department, please:

1. Ring Triage Bell once
2. Sit in Triage area
3. See Triage nurse when called in
4. Register at Central Registry
5. Sit in Waiting Area until called

The wait time presented here refers to the time between being assessed by a triage nurse and seeing a doctor.

In smaller hospitals, we do not have constant access to physicians and other diagnostic professionals on site after hours. They are called in for emergencies only, based on the Canadian triage & Acuity scale (CTAS). Visit our full FAQs here for more details. {link to be created}

Being Treated = Patients who have moved from the waiting room to an ED room and have had an initial assessment completed by a Physician.
Waiting to be seen = Patients who are in the waiting room and have not yet had an initial assessment by a Physician.

The graph shows how long 90% of people had to wait to see a doctor at different times of the day over the last 30 days. The 'now' bar shows the wait time for the current time of day.

Visit our full FAQs here {link to be created}