Emergency Department Wait Times & Finding the Right Care in the Right Place

Illustration of people waiting in the Emergency Department

Are you experiencing a health emergency?

Please call 9-1-1 or go directly to your nearest emergency department if you are in need of serious medical attention including experiencing chest pain, severe bleeding or stroke symptoms or if you are experiencing a mental health emergency. 

Finding the Right Care in the Right Place

For information on care options available in the Island Health region, please visit our Right Care Right Place web page.

If you have a regular primary care provider, they may have spots available for urgent issues.

Portrait of community pharmacist

Options for same day care:

Urgent Care Clinics
Same Day Access to Primary Care (including Urgent and Primary Care Centres)
Portrait of community pharmacist

Community Pharmacists:

Your pharmacist may be able to provide an urgent prescription refill or prescribe for 21 minor ailments and contraceptives. Please call your pharmacy to check your pharmacist is able to do this.

Watch to learn about urgent prescription refills
More information
  • If you have run out of your prescription medication and urgently need a refill, speak with your pharmacist
  • They may be able to provide an emergency supply of your medication or provide other useful advice
  • If you have been on the same medication, at the same dosage for 6 months or more, your pharmacist can renew your prescription if it has been prescribed in the last 12 months (with the exception of cancer chemotherapy medications)
  • If you believe you have a minor condition (such as pink eye, headaches and most urinary tract infections) contact or walk into a participating pharmacy and ask a pharmacist for an assessment
  • The pharmacist will review your symptoms and medical history and recommend the best course of action, including a prescription if needed
  • For a full list of included conditions and to book an appointment with a pharmacist visit gov.bc.ca/SeeAPharmacist
Portrait of 8-1-1 call taker

8-1-1

For health advice for non-emergency concerns, call 8-1-1 to speak with a health care navigator 24/7 who will help you find health information and services, or connect you to a registered nurse or pharmacist.

Watch to learn about 8-1-1

 

More information
  • 8-1-1 provides free health advice 24/7
  • When you have a non-emergency health concern or question, call 8-1-1 any time of the day or night
  • A health care navigator will help you find health information and services or connect you with a registered nurse, registered dietician, qualified exercise professional, or pharmacist
Portrait of community pharmacist

Community Health Services: 

Community Health Services offer care in your home and in local community clinics. If you are facing challenges living safely at home, we can help with daily tasks, specialized nursing, physical rehabilitation and more, to reduce hospital visits. No doctor referral is needed. For more information, call the Community Access Line for your region.

Call the Community Access Line for your region for information on how to access an Island Health service

South Island: 1-888-533-2273
Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

Central Island: 1-877-734-4101
Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

North Island: 1-866-928-4988
Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily

Photo of distressed man

Mental Health and Substance Use Support and Services:

Please call 9-1-1 or go directly to your nearest emergency department if you are experiencing a mental health emergency.

Call Vancouver Island Crisis Line for 24/7 support at 1-888-494-3888. 

Call Service Link seven days per week for information on mental health, substance use, harm reduction, addition medicine and treatment services at 1-888-885-8824.

Watch to learn more about mental health supports available
More information

If you need help immediately, please call 9-1-1 or go directly to your nearest emergency department

  • For more information or help navigating services for mental health, substance use and harm reduction, call the Mental Health and Substance Use Service Link at 1-888-885-8824. 
    • This line is answered seven days a week. As this is not an emergency or crisis service, callers who leave a message will be contacted the same or next day.
  • If you need help immediately, crisis lines are open 24/7
    • Vancouver Island Crisis Line is available 24/7 at 1-888-494-3888
    • KUU-US Crisis Line  for Indigenous People is available 24/7 at 1-800-588-8717

Emergency Department Wait Times

Portrait of clock on wall

Estimated Wait Times Near You

The following times indicate the latest estimated times to see a doctor. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 people will be seen within the times below.

Custom JSON Block

ED Wait Times Footer (ONLY)
Photo of mother and daughter waiting in Emergency Department

ED wait times explained:

We realize that visiting the emergency department can be a stressful time and we understand how difficult it can be to wait to be seen.

On arrival at the emergency department, you will be assessed by a triage nurse and seen by a medical provider on a priority basis. Wait times don’t reflect how many people are waiting; they reflect how sick other patients are in the emergency department.

Here’s how it works:

Watch to understand emergency wait times

Please note: Wait times vary based on a person's condition. Those who are seriously ill or injured will be seen sooner than other patients. Wait times are updated every hour and are estimates based on available data. The times shown reflect the estimated wait times for majority of patients. These times may not reflect unforeseen circumstances. 

Photo of hand holding question mark

Wait times FAQs:

What are Emergency Wait Times?

On this website, wait time refers to the length of time between being assessed by a triage nurse and seeing a doctor.

Should I use the online wait times to determine where I should go?

In the case of a serious emergency always call 9-1-1 or go to your nearest emergency department.

The online Emergency Wait Time tool is meant to give the public general information about emergency department wait times.

How should I use the online wait time information?

Many factors can affect the pressures in emergency departments and those demands can change quickly and significantly.

You will have to decide if the currently posted ED wait time at the hospital nearest you appears to be significantly longer than the time it would take you to travel both to and from a hospital further away, plus the wait time at that site.

Many factors can shape your decision about which ED to use and when including other options, such as:

  • same day appointments with your health care provider
  • urgent care clinics
  • urgent and primary care centres primary care clinics
  • dial 8-1-1 for free health-related advice
  • call Service Link or a crisis line for mental health and substance use support
  • Community Health Services (which don’t require a referral from a primary care provider)
  • urgent prescription refills or other services provided by community pharmacists

You should also consider your familiarity with the nearest hospital, recent previous surgeries or admission to hospital, and proximity to your family should you need to be admitted.

What if my condition isn’t an emergency and I don’t know where else to go?

There are several other options for care including calling and asking about same day appointments with your health care provider if you have one. 

You can:

  • call an Island Health Urgent and Primary Care Centre
  • visit an Island Health urgent care clinic, or primary care clinic
  • dial 8-1-1 for free health-related advice and/or calling Service Link or a crisis line for mental health and substance use support.
  • some community-based pharmacists can provide urgent prescription refills and other services
  • call Island Health’s access line for information about community health services (which don’t require a referral from a primary care provider).
How often are the online wait times updated?

Online wait times are refreshed every hour.

Can my wait time differ from the estimated wait time?

Yes, the wait times are the estimated times that 9 out of 10 patients will be seen within.

Individuals will be seen by the doctor at different times depending on the urgency of their visit.

Also, Emergency Department demand can change quickly and dramatically. An incident such as a serious motor vehicle crash can unexpectedly send more people to the Emergency Department and significantly impact wait times.

Are there times of the day that are busier?

Yes. Most Emergency Departments get busy starting around 10 a.m. and stay busy until 10 p.m.  However, there are usually more physicians working at these busy times.

Waits tend to be shortest for people arriving between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. across Island Health. Waits can be longer at any time of day as a result of sick patients, random variations in how people visit the ED and unpredictable serious incidents such as motor vehicle crashes that result in unexpected patients arriving at an ED.

Are there days of the week that are busier?

Yes. Monday is the busiest day in most Emergency Departments. This may be due to the inability for people to get in touch with their physicians over the weekend. However, it is important to note that any day can be very busy in the ED.

How are the ED wait times calculated?

‘Wait Time’ is the estimated time for almost all patients – 9 out of every 10 who visit the ED – to be seen by a physician.

The actual wait time is based on the time that the patient sees the triage nurse and is registered in the Emergency Department.

Disclaimer and Terms of Use

The emergency department wait times displayed on this website are being provided for general information only.

Please be advised that the wait times can change significantly and immediately, without warning and therefore are not guaranteed.

Patients will be seen in the emergency department based on their medical condition and the severity of their situation. Due to changing demands in emergency departments, these wait times may not be the time you will need to wait once you arrive at the emergency department. The provision of the wait times on this website are not medical advice or a recommendation of one emergency department over another.

Island Health expressly disclaims all liability for the use of this information and for any claims, actions, demands or suits arising from such use. Island Health does not assume and is not responsible for any liability whatsoever arising from any person’s use of this website or from any person’s decision to access any of the services referred to on the website.

This website features resources that are external to Island Health and thereby take no responsibility for the content presented in these websites outside of our website. We merely provide links to other external resources for informational purposes.