This service is open from 9 am to 9 pm daily, however, hours of operation and number of patients seen will vary depending on the volume and severity of patients and physician coverage in the Emergency Department. It is best to register in the morning as the VHWR may close later on in the day. 

The Emergency Department is a dynamic environment, and while delays in seeing a doctor may occur, we are committed to providing you with timely care. When you arrive at the Emergency Department, you will be asked to take a number and be seated as you wait for the triage nurse to assess your symptoms. Following triage, you will proceed to registration, where your chart will be completed, and then be directed to your designated care area. Please note that patients are seen in the order of their arrival, whether from the physical waiting room or the virtual waiting room. 

One of the advantages of the VHWR is that our team will text you to come to the Emergency Department at an optimal time based on how busy it is in the department. The goal of the VHWR is to allow patients with eligible non-urgent conditions to wait at home for part of their Emergency Department visit. The time a patient spends waiting in the Virtual Home Waiting Room is credited to their total Emergency Department wait time.

Non-urgent patients are generally seen in the order in which they arrive, based on triage time. For example, if you logged into the waiting room at 10:00 am and later received a text at 1:00 pm instructing you to proceed to the hospital, you would be seen by the physician alongside patients who were physically triaged at around 10:00 am. 

However, exceptions are made when a patient presents with a critical condition and requires immediate medical attention. This means that whether you are waiting in the Virtual Home Waiting Room or physically in the hospital’s waiting area, patients are prioritized and seen accordingly.

When you register for the Virtual Home Waiting Room, you will be asked to choose one medical complaint from the list of 9 eligible non-urgent complaints. Since the registration process only allows you to select 1, please select your primary complaint. Once you arrive at the Emergency Department, you will be triaged. If your condition is more urgent, you will be seen in order of priority.

During registration, you will receive a verification code via text message to confirm your identity. Enter that code in the form. Then keep clicking Next to choose your reason for visit, to assess and confirm your eligibility, and again to complete your enrollment in the Virtual Home Waiting Room. You will receive a confirmation text message once your enrollment is submitted.

If you do not receive any texts, please access care at a community clinic or proceed to the Emergency Department.

You can remove yourself from the Virtual Home Waiting Room at any time. Simply reply with “cancel” to any incoming text message, at any time, and you will receive confirmation of your removal via subsequent messages.

If you accidentally remove yourself from the VHWR, you will have to re-join by completing the registration form again. Your position in the VHWR will re-start. 

If your condition worsens, we strongly encourage you to exit the Virtual Home Waiting Room—if you are able—and head directly to the nearest Emergency Department or call 911 immediately. If you are unable to leave the Virtual Home Waiting Room on your own, the Emergency Department staff will be available to assist you once you arrive at the hospital.

The following are some benefits of joining the Virtual Home Waiting Room (VHWR):

1. Enhanced Convenience and Time Savings: Check in remotely and reduce the time spent waiting in a physical waiting room.
2. Improved Comfort: Enjoy the ease of waiting in the comfort of your own space instead of a crowded, impersonal waiting room.
3. Reduced ED Crowding: Our system helps maintain a safer, less congested emergency department.
4. Infection Prevention and Control: Minimizing physical wait times in shared spaces lowers the risk of virus transmission and enhances overall safety.
5. Overall Positive ED Experience: By streamlining patient flow our solution contributes to a more supportive and positive emergency care experience.

Remember to bring a list of your medications, your valid OHIP card and your private insurance card if applicable.

When you arrive at the hospital, you will take a number and have a seat. Then, you will be triaged and registered. Once you are triaged and registered, you will be directed to your designated care area where you will wait to see a care provider. Based on your triage assessment, you will either be directed to the Fast Track Clinic or another care area of the Emergency Department.

A non-urgent medical complaint is one that does not require immediate treatment. It is typically a minor illness, injury and/or an infection that does not require immediate care.

For non-urgent health concerns, you may wish to consider the following alternatives before joining the Virtual Home Waiting Room: Other Care Options

The Virtual Home Waiting Room is only available to those with eligible conditions. Please refer to our eligibility requirements for a complete list of conditions addressed through this service.

Joining a virtual waiting room is a different experience than attending in person. Please consider the following before deciding to join the VHWR:

1. Personal Interaction: Waiting at home will reduce direct, face-to-face communication with hospital staff.
2. Technical Difficulties: Reliance on technology can sometimes lead to connectivity issues or glitches.
3. Accessibility Constraints: This system requires access to a device that has texting capabilities.
4. Extended Wait Times: While the virtual waiting room aims to streamline the process, patients may still experience long wait times.

If you choose not to join the VHWR, consider accessing other non-urgent care options. If you need help immediately, go to the nearest Emergency Department or call 911.

Initial text message:

• After you join VHWR, you will get a text message confirming your registration. The text will also show your place in the waiting room compared to others. For example, it might show that you are number 10 in the waiting room.

Ongoing text messages while you wait:

• You will get a text every 60 minutes that tells you your place in the VHWR waiting room compared to others. Each message also gives you the option to remove yourself from the waiting room if you need to. For example, your update might indicate that your position has advanced to number 8, or that it remains unchanged at number 10.

Text message to remove yourself from the VHWR:

• When you leave the VHWR, you will get a text message telling you that you have been removed. The message will advise you to get the help you need and, if your condition gets worse, to go to the nearest Emergency Department.

Offer text message:

• When you are next in line in the VHWR, you will receive a text message letting you know it is time to come to the hospital. If you do not respond, reminder texts will be sent every 30 minutes (up to 5 messages over 2.5 hours). Once you respond, you will receive a confirmation text providing you with basic instructions for when you arrive at the hospital.

• Important: If you do not respond within 2.5 hours, you will be removed from the Virtual Home Waiting Room and you will need to complete a new registration form. 
• Important: If you feel you need medical help before getting this text message, please do not wait. Go to the nearest Emergency Department immediately.

Survey text message to evaluate your VHWR experience:

• Following your Virtual Home Waiting Room experience, you will receive a text message asking for your feedback. While responding is optional, we would greatly appreciate your feedback so that we can continuously improve our service.

Once you are notified to proceed to the Emergency Department, please come as soon as possible. We understand you may need extra time when attending with children or to account for travel time to the hospital. 

Patients with non-urgent healthcare needs may want to consider these other options: call your family doctor, nurse practitioner, or their on-call services. If they are not available, please consider using community health clinics or alternative services – other non-urgent care options.

Following your Virtual Home Waiting Room experience, you will receive a text message asking for your feedback. While responding is optional, we would greatly appreciate your feedback so that we can continuously improve our VHWR service.