St. Joseph's Health Care System - Hamilton
50 Charlton Avenue East, Hamilton, L8N 4A6
Emergency department
1 hr 3 minLive, updated 17 min ago
Average wait to see a doctor, from the hospital’s own wait time page. Average of the last 6 hours, updated every 15 minutes.
Last month’s averages, August 2026. All ER waits
| Measure | This hospital | Ontario average |
|---|---|---|
| To see a doctorAverage from triage or registration to a doctor. | 1 hr 12 min | 2 hr 6 min |
| In the ER, low urgency, sent homeTarget 4 hours. | 3 hr 12 min | 3 hr 12 min |
| In the ER, high urgency, sent homeTarget 8 hours. | 4 hr 30 min | 4 hr 48 min |
| In the ER before admissionTarget 8 hours. | 14 hr 48 min | 18 hr 30 min |
Common surgeries
| Surgery | Days to see surgeon | Days to surgery | Total days | Ontario average | Last 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hip replacement | 109 | 67 | 176 | 189 | ↑ 16 |
| Knee replacement | 131 | 124 | 255 | 213 | ↑ 4 |
| Cataract surgery | 89 | 71 | 160 | 186 | ↓ 22 |
| Thyroid surgeryApr to Jun 2026 | 61 | 108 | 169 | 173 | No 12-month trend |
| Kidney stone removalApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026 | 71 | 50 | 121 | 79 | No 12-month trend |
| Weight-loss surgery | 7 | 48 | 55 | 127 | ↑ 13 |
| Prostate cancer surgeryApr to Jun 2026 | 57 | 28 | 85 | 87 | No 12-month trend |
- Hip replacementSee surgeon 109 · Surgery 67 · Ontario 189176 days16 days longer than in Sep 2025
- Knee replacementSee surgeon 131 · Surgery 124 · Ontario 213255 days4 days longer than in Sep 2025
- Cataract surgerySee surgeon 89 · Surgery 71 · Ontario 186160 days22 days shorter than in Sep 2025
- Thyroid surgeryApr to Jun 2026See surgeon 61 · Surgery 108 · Ontario 173169 days
- Kidney stone removalApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026See surgeon 71 · Surgery 50 · Ontario 79121 days
- Weight-loss surgerySee surgeon 7 · Surgery 48 · Ontario 12755 days13 days longer than in Sep 2025
- Prostate cancer surgeryApr to Jun 2026See surgeon 57 · Surgery 28 · Ontario 8785 days
Scans
Other surgeries
| Surgery | Days to see surgeon | Days to surgery | Total days | Ontario average | Last 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bladder (benign, all types, urologic)Apr 2025 to Mar 2026 and Oct 2025 to Mar 2026 | 79 | 84 | 163 | 181 | No 12-month trend |
| Bladder (benign, all types)Apr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026 | 23 | 30 | 53 | 125 | No 12-month trend |
| Ear (all types)Apr to Jun 2026 | 85 | 237 | 322 | 275 | No 12-month trend |
| Esophageal/diaphragm (benign)Apr to Jun 2026 | 43 | 60 | 103 | 129 | No 12-month trend |
| Hip (all types) | 109 | 67 | 176 | 192 | ↑ 15 |
| Kidney/renal pelvis/ureter (all types) | 45 | 44 | 89 | 77 | ↑ 19 |
| Knee (all types) | 119 | 93 | 212 | 193 | ↓ 7 |
| Knee arthroscopy | 76 | 40 | 116 | 138 | ↓ 33 |
| Ovarian (benign)Apr to Jun 2026 | 127 | 83 | 210 | 203 | No 12-month trend |
| Palmar fascia excision for Dupuytren’s diseaseOct 2025 to Mar 2026 | 198 | 116 | 314 | 176 | No 12-month trend |
| Partial excision of prostateApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026 | 54 | 91 | 145 | 124 | No 12-month trend |
| Salivary gland (benign)Oct 2025 to Mar 2026 | 71 | 133 | 204 | 200 | No 12-month trend |
| Thyroid and endocrine cancersApr to Jun 2026 | 46 | 77 | 123 | 89 | No 12-month trend |
| Upper airwayApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026 | 145 | 62 | 207 | 202 | No 12-month trend |
| Upper extremity reconstructiveApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026 | 213 | 90 | 303 | 173 | No 12-month trend |
| Uterine (benign) excluding prolapse (all types) | 112 | 162 | 274 | 194 | ↓ 54 |
- Bladder (benign, all types, urologic)Apr 2025 to Mar 2026 and Oct 2025 to Mar 2026See surgeon 79 · Surgery 84 · Ontario 181163 days
- Bladder (benign, all types)Apr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026See surgeon 23 · Surgery 30 · Ontario 12553 days
- Ear (all types)Apr to Jun 2026See surgeon 85 · Surgery 237 · Ontario 275322 days
- Esophageal/diaphragm (benign)Apr to Jun 2026See surgeon 43 · Surgery 60 · Ontario 129103 days
- Hip (all types)See surgeon 109 · Surgery 67 · Ontario 192176 days15 days longer than in Sep 2025
- Kidney/renal pelvis/ureter (all types)See surgeon 45 · Surgery 44 · Ontario 7789 days19 days longer than in Sep 2025
- Knee (all types)See surgeon 119 · Surgery 93 · Ontario 193212 days7 days shorter than in Sep 2025
- Knee arthroscopySee surgeon 76 · Surgery 40 · Ontario 138116 days33 days shorter than in Nov 2025
- Ovarian (benign)Apr to Jun 2026See surgeon 127 · Surgery 83 · Ontario 203210 days
- Palmar fascia excision for Dupuytren’s diseaseOct 2025 to Mar 2026See surgeon 198 · Surgery 116 · Ontario 176314 days
- Partial excision of prostateApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026See surgeon 54 · Surgery 91 · Ontario 124145 days
- Salivary gland (benign)Oct 2025 to Mar 2026See surgeon 71 · Surgery 133 · Ontario 200204 days
- Thyroid and endocrine cancersApr to Jun 2026See surgeon 46 · Surgery 77 · Ontario 89123 days
- Upper airwayApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026See surgeon 145 · Surgery 62 · Ontario 202207 days
- Upper extremity reconstructiveApr to Jun 2026 and Aug 2026See surgeon 213 · Surgery 90 · Ontario 173303 days
- Uterine (benign) excluding prolapse (all types)See surgeon 112 · Surgery 162 · Ontario 194274 days54 days shorter than in Sep 2025