Where to go for care this weekend

With a busy weekend of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the city, Kingston Health Sciences Centre would like to remind the community to celebrate safely and responsibly.

KHSC has put plans in place to support an increase in patient demand, but to ensure that our Emergency teams can continue to provide the highest-level of care to the sickest individuals in our region, please see the information below regarding where you can access the appropriate medical care if it’s required this weekend.

Walk-in clinics

Patients with a non-acute and non-life threatening illnesses or injuries that require access to a medical professional should first consider accessing care at a local walk-in clinic. A number of walk-in clinics are located across Kingston; you can find the closest one by visiting: www.southeasthealthline.ca

Urgent Care Centre

Located at our Hotel Dieu Hospital site (166 Brock Street), the Urgent Care Centre provides care for patients with injuries or illness that require urgent medical attention that cannot wait for a visit to a family physician.

This could include deep cuts and wounds that require stitches, sprains and strains or deep bruises, mild to moderate asthma attacks, infections of the ear, respiratory system or urinary tract, severe diarrhea, insect bites or rashes. The Urgent Care Centre is open every day between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Emergency Department

Located at our Kingston General Hospital site (Entrance to Emergency is off King Street West), the Emergency Department provides care for patients with life or limb-threatening illness or injuries or patients who have a high likelihood of requiring hospital admission. This could include severe bleeding, difficulty breathing, chest pain or pressure, trauma to the head, sudden dizziness or difficulty seeing and severe abdominal pain. The Emergency Department is open 24 hours-a-day.

“With many people planning to celebrate this weekend, we need to ensure that people are able to access the care they require in the right place at the right time,” says Carol McIntosh, Director of Ambulatory Clinics and Emergency Care. “We ask that people with less serious illness or injuries seek medical attention in the appropriate place so that the sickest can continue to be seen quickly in the Emergency Department at KGH.”

Patients who are experiencing chest pain, severe respiratory distress, allergic reactions, or the symptoms of stroke (sudden onset of arm/leg weakness, facial droop or slurred speech) should call 911 immediately. 

If you’re not sure where to go, Telehealth Ontario is available 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week and gives you access to a registered nurse who will assess symptoms and help decide what kind of help is needed and where to get it. Phone 1-866-797-0000.