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

Treating = Patients who have had an initial assessment completed by a Physician.
Waiting to be seen = Patients who have not yet had an initial assessment by a Physician.

The graph represents the 90th percentile wait time to see a doctor at different times of the day and is based on data for the past 30 days. The ‘now’ bar represents the current time of the day.

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

Contact your pharmacist to ask about a minor ailment consultation 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.

Many of our smaller pharmacies do not have the staffing capacity to offer consultations at this point in time. Within the area larger pharmacies have begun to offer this service. For more information check out:

• Shoppers Drug Mart, 90 Bowes Street, Parry Sound https://www.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/store-locator/store/1006/pharmacy
• Walmart Pharmacy, 1 Pine Drive, Parry Sound

Did you know that you can access the Public Health Unit’s Sexual Health Clinic to advice you on your Sexual Health needs? Call 705-746-5801 ext. 3213 or 1-800-563-2808 ext. 3213 to book an appointment. At our Sexual Health Clinic, you’ll find a safe, non-judgmental atmosphere where you can have an open discussion about your sexual health. The clinic is staffed by administrative assistants, public health nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians.

Clinic Services

The Sexual Health Clinic offers free, confidential services, including:

• Protection and Prevention
• Low-cost contraception
• Low-cost emergency contraception
• Intrauterine contraception (IUC) insertion and removal
• Contraceptive implant insertion and removal
• HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
• Free condoms and dental dams
• Free harm reduction supplies and naloxone kits
• Pap testing (for individuals without a primary care provider)
• Vaccines for HPV, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B, and imvamune (mpox) for those who qualify
• Testing
• Testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and blood-borne infections (BBIs)
• Anonymous HIV testing
• Rapid HIV testing (if eligible)

The North East Virtual Care Clinic is a Nurse Practitioner-led virtual care clinic that works with local health care providers to ensure patients can access more timely care. They serve patients within Ontario Health North East region which spans from White River to the Quebec border and Peawanuck to Parry Sound.

The Virtual Care Clinic serve patients throughout the region, who require timely medical care. Examples of those they care for include:

• Patients with new or persistent cough, fever, rash or other similar symptoms
• Patients with imminent concerns but are not life or limb threatening
• Patients with or without a primary care provider

They work with hospitals to refer patients to their local Emergency Department if needed, and provide information on Health811 for patients seeking a primary care provider. To book an appointment visit https://www.nevirtualcare.ca/ or call 1-888-684-1999.

West Parry Sound Health Centre's emergency department wait times are provided for general information only. Please be advised that wait times can change significantly and immediately, without warning, and are therefore not guaranteed. Patients will be seen in the emergency department based on their medical condition and the severity of their situation.

Due to rapidly changing demands in the emergency department and the need to see the sickest patients first, your own wait time may be more or less than the time displayed on this website.

The displaying of wait times on West Parry Sound Health Centre's website is for general information only and is not medical advice, or a recommendation that you choose a different emergency department.

West Parry Sound Health Centre clearly disclaims all liability for the use of this information, and for any claims, actions, demands, or suits arising from such use.

West Parry Sound Health Centre does not assume, and is not responsible for any liability whatsoever arising from any person’s use of this website, including any decisions made about their personal health as a result of using this website.

What are Emergency Wait Times?

Emergency wait times can be many things: the length of wait to be triaged, the length of wait to see a nurse, the wait to see a doctor and the wait until discharge home or to an inpatient floor. For the purpose of the information posted above, wait time refers to the length of time between being assessed by a triage nurse and seeing a doctor.

How will I be assessed for my turn to be seen?

The emergency department does not work on a first come, first served system. It’s important to know that critical patients will be seen first, whether they arrive on their own or via ambulance. Upon arrival in the department, you will be assessed using the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale (CTAS). You will be seen by a doctor based on that assessment. In simple terms, the sickest patients will be seen most quickly.

How do you calculate Emergency Department wait times?

We measure the wait time posted above as the time from when you are assessed by a triage nurse until the time you see a doctor for assessment. Because new patients arrive frequently, estimated wait times can change significantly.

Your personal experience may vary from these posted wait times based on a number of factors:

• Patients with more life-threatening situations arriving in the Emergency Department after you
• Volume of patients waiting to be seen compared to the number of doctors working

Who updates the wait times on your website? How often is it refreshed?

The computer system that supports our wait times information is powered by VitalHub®. VitalHub’s web-based software takes historic and real-time data from our internal reporting systems and turns it into an understandable report, similar to the weather forecast. Just like the weather, it is important to understand that the data posted here represents the most current information about the chance or probability of waiting for a certain time. This automated system refreshes the data in real-time, ensuring the most accurate information available, and is what allows us to provide this information externally.