Hawkesbury General Hospital: A Comprehensive Guide
Located in the heart of Hawkesbury, Ontario, Hawkesbury General Hospital (HGH) serves as a critical healthcare facility for the local community and beyond. Known for its modern amenities and dedicated staff, the hospital strives to offer accessible healthcare services to all patients, including those with mobility challenges.
Accessibility Features
One of the standout features of HGH is its wheelchair-accessible car park, making it easier for patients and visitors with disabilities to access the hospital. The hospital takes pride in ensuring that everyone can navigate the premises comfortably and safely. This extension of care begins right from the parking lot, allowing for a seamless transition into the hospital environment.
Wheelchair-Accessible Entrance
The wheelchair-accessible entrance at Hawkesbury General Hospital is designed to accommodate individuals using wheelchairs or those with other mobility aids. Upon entering, patients are greeted by friendly staff who are eager to assist, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere right from the start. With a focus on inclusivity and patient comfort, the entrance sets the tone for the quality care that follows.
Patient Experiences
Reviews from recent patients highlight both the exceptional care received and the areas needing improvement. Many have praised the nursing staff:
"The nursing staff were absolutely amazing... friendly, kind, and informative," shared one satisfied visitor.
Another noted, "I was impressed! Everyone was polite, friendly, helpful, and extremely efficient."
However, not all experiences have been positive. Issues regarding lengthy wait times in the Emergency Room have been a common complaint, with reports of waits extending up to 10 hours:
"Best bet is to go to Ottawa or surrounding areas for a walk-in clinic," stated one frustrated individual.
Another remarked, "I waited for more than 15 hours with stomach pain… the staff was very rude and irresponsible."
Facilities and Cleanliness
Despite some concerns about service times, many reviewers took the opportunity to commend the cleanliness and organization of the facilities. One patient noted, "This hospital is the cleanest I have ever been in," emphasizing the importance of a hygienic environment in healthcare.
Final Thoughts
While Hawkesbury General Hospital provides essential services and modern facilities, there are areas ripe for improvement, particularly in emergency care response times. Nonetheless, the commitment to patient accessibility and care cannot be overstated. From the wheelchair-accessible car park to the welcoming wheelchair-accessible entrance, the hospital aims to provide a supportive environment for all.
For anyone considering visiting HGH, being aware of the strengths and weaknesses can help ensure a smoother experience. Regardless of the challenges, the dedication of the staff remains a bright spot in the overall care provided.
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I recently visited this hospital to support a loved one in palliative care, and I must say, the staff were outstanding! The facilities were well-maintained and clean, which is a stark contrast to some other hospitals I have visited. It was also quite helpful to have staff welcoming visitors at the front entrance. Parking was easily accessible, with no trouble finding a spot.
My only gripe would be the paid parking situation. Having to pay every day to visit a critically ill family member can understandably become burdensome, especially when considering that taxpayers have already contributed towards the construction and upkeep of the hospital.
Dennis Bailey (2025-07-20, 11:08 a.m.):
This hospital in Canada is the most advanced and truly sets the standard for others to emulate. The triage process in the emergency room was swift, even when dealing with high-priority cases. The corridors are impeccably clean, and the digital record system that tracks your information is truly astonishing. It's remarkable to see Cat6 Ethernet cables connecting the phones. The level of efficiency and innovation here is reminiscent of military precision and a glimpse into the future. I sincerely wish that all hospitals in Canada would adopt this model.
David Lopez (2025-07-18, 4:58 p.m.):
I say, waited more than 5 hours to be seen by a doctor who was quite dismissive. He mentioned he'd send in the request for surgery. It's been 28 days now, so we gave them a ring for an update, as my daughter's still in pain. Blimey! The hospital has no record under her name and no one can give me any information. Jolly frustrating, if you ask me!
Alexander Hamilton (2025-07-18, 12:55 a.m.):
I had a rubbish experience with the customer service, they were no help at all. The orthopedic doctor didn't seem to do his job properly as he failed to provide me with a note to get my X-rays updated. It was quite frustrating, to be honest.
Philip White (2025-07-16, 7:01 a.m.):
My mother experienced a severe medical emergency, struggling to breathe and unable to rest, causing her heart rate to escalate to dangerous levels. The wait at the hospital was excessively long, and only after my father raised concerns about the inadequate emergency care did they finally attend to us. Despite the urgency of the situation, the medical staff seemed more focused on casual conversations, as laughter echoed in the background during vital scans. We have been here for a total of 11 hours, with my mother enduring 41 hours without sleep, all while still awaiting the appropriate prescription.
Riley Edwards (2025-07-15, 12:39 p.m.):
About a month ago, I had a bit of a tumble after a run, passed out, and ended up hitting my noggin. There was quite a bit of blood, so I made my way to the emergency room. Got in right away, got patched up, had a blood test, and even an EKG. After that, it was back to the waiting area for a good 6 hours! Decided to call it quits as it had been quite a wait, never actually saw a doctor, and the staff gave me some lip when I mentioned heading out.
Albert Rogers (2025-07-15, 12:00 p.m.):
My hubby had a TURP this mornin', reckonin' on stayin' the night. We were both chuffed to be sent home in the arvo. The staff he met were all friendly, quick on their feet, and showed a corkin' sense of humour that must come in handy durin' their day. Thanks a million, Dr. JM, and all the lasses whose names he's forgotten - but he won't be forgettin' 'em.
Melissa Turner (2025-07-08, 11:55 p.m.):
I must say, I found myself being shuttled back and forth between the emergency room and the front desk more times than I can count. The emergency doctor seemed to take an eternity to stitch me up. While I appreciated their laid-back approach, it was rather frustrating to see them engaged in casual chatter with three nurses instead of focusing on their job at hand.
I am grateful for the healthcare we receive, but it's disheartening to witness its decline despite the increasing costs associated with it.
Roger Robinson (2025-07-03, 2:20 p.m.):
I had a jolly good experience at the A&E. Popped in at 5 in the morning, and by 9am, I was already being attended to by the doctor. They mentioned that by 8am, more chaps and doctors were on hand, which saw to a swifter flow of patients being seen. Quite true indeed, come around half past 7, and things were moving along briskly. Seemed like those who popped in during the night had the longest wait, so if you're in a bit of a pickle and can hang about until the early hours, that's the ticket.
The chaps working the admin, the nurses, and the doctors were all top-notch professionals, and ever so helpful.
Grace Thompson (2025-07-01, 2:48 a.m.):
I was there at 2:00 in the afternoon. By 1:30 p.m., I still hadn't seen a doctor. A nurse came out and started calling names, asking if anyone was a priority, to which I replied yes. However, my name was one of the last ones called, even though I was feeling very unwell. I left after waiting for an hour and a half to be seen, had to stop because I was vomiting, and the triage nurse decided it wasn't urgent. It's concerning when someone who isn't a doctor makes that call, especially when I was experiencing such severe symptoms. I left feeling frustrated with how the triage process was handled. I'm currently on medication just to be able to eat and will need to undergo private testing. It's disheartening. The ER nurse was also unnecessarily rude during the whole ordeal.
Layla Watson (2025-06-29, 1:40 p.m.):
Twice this week, my 79-year-old mother has been brought to this Hospital by paramedics. She has been waiting on a stretcher for 8 hours to see a doctor for her 7 cracked and broken bones in her back after a fall. Imagine lying down on broken, cracked, and chipped bones for 8 hours... At least provide her with Tylenol or something. But do we have to wait to see the Doctor??? Do they even have one?
Mary Fisher (2025-06-28, 4:05 p.m.):
Any fellow from Quebec looking to head over to our emergency room, thinking it's quicker than our own ERs, don't be misguided. I arrived with my partner at 10 am, and now it's 9 pm. She's had a catheter in her arm since we got here, and we still haven't had a doctor check on us. Contemplating just walking out, but the idea of starting from scratch at a Quebec ER is keeping us put. If only we were closer to a hospital, I could have gone home to get my medications.
Zoey Howard (2025-06-25, 1:07 a.m.):
Oh my goodness, I must say, what an absolute relief it has been to find such a fantastic hospital after struggling with a troublesome back issue for a good couple of years. I had visited multiple hospitals and seen numerous doctors, all to no avail – nobody seemed to even spare a moment to give me the time of day, let alone an examination. So last night, I made the journey from Montreal to this particular hospital, and let me tell you, it was the best decision I've made in a long while!
Upon walking through those doors, I was met with the most compassionate, caring, and patient staff one could ever hope for. Doctor Brassard, who attended to me, was an absolute gem right from the get-go. In all my 45 years on this Earth, I have never encountered such a wonderful hospital experience. I am truly beyond grateful for the attention and care I received.
I must also mention the nurse I had the pleasure of encountering – I believe her last name was "Pira or Piri". If only I could recall it fully! If there were a way to award this hospital a hundred stars, you can bet I'd do so in a heartbeat. Finally, I have a clear course of action and feel taken seriously about my health concerns. I genuinely wish I could embrace each and every member of the staff at this exceptional hospital. I cannot recommend them highly enough. A massive thank you for everything you have done for me.
Samantha Ortiz (2025-06-22, 6:23 p.m.):
I simply cannot sing the praises of HGH and their incredible doctors, support team, and volunteers enough. It truly is disheartening when patients fail to attend or notify us of their cancellation. If a doctor can make the effort to be present for appointments, why can't patients extend the same courtesy? Today, I arrived a good 45 minutes ahead of my scheduled procedure. Following registration, I was promptly seen to and had my procedure completed in under 30 minutes. It turned out that there were two no-shows before me.
Joe Williams (2025-06-20, 8:35 p.m.):
I was sat in the waiting room for a good eight hours. I politely asked one of the nurses how long the wait might be, and was informed it should be quite quick. This conversation took place about an hour and a half into my wait. However, after another six hours passed, I inquired again and was told it would be soon. Shortly after, a different nurse came by to inform me that if we weren't called in the next few minutes, we wouldn't be seen until after midnight. Realizing there would be further tests ahead, I made the decision that my weekend was too valuable to continue waiting and left. To sum it up, a round trip of 1.5 hours driving, 8 hours of waiting without being attended to (and being given false information), $5 for parking, only to leave due to extreme thirst and hunger with no progress on my health issue. This was both my first and last experience at Hawkesbury General Hospital.
Timothy James (2025-06-17, 2:27 a.m.):
My experience is related to the emergency department. From what I gathered from other comments, this seems to be a common occurrence. You end up waiting for hours on end, practically needing to be at death's door to get attention. Many of the staff members come off as brusque and lacking in empathy. I acknowledge that the healthcare industry is tough, but it shouldn't be reflected in how patients are treated. The security personnel was openly airing grievances about the hospital, then proceeded to hang out in the small room within the waiting area with the door wide open, likely playing loud music on his phone. When I tried to ask about how much longer I needed to wait without receiving any treatment or updates, they were dismissive and impolite. Regrettably, this marks my third negative encounter at this facility. If it were possible, I would rate it even lower.
Kimberly Peterson (2025-06-16, 2:37 a.m.):
Yesterday, my girlfriend and I visited the hospital due to her severe lower abdominal pain. She was experiencing a feeling of warmth despite her body being cold to the touch, along with intense nausea. We waited for a staggering 9 hours before being seen. During this time, she underwent blood and urine tests, and thankfully her symptoms started to improve. Finally, after the lengthy wait, we were able to consult with Doctor Vanessa. Disappointingly, she seemed to treat the situation lightly and unprofessionally, providing no referral or attempt to determine the underlying issue. Instead, she simply advised us to call an ambulance if the same symptoms recurred. It felt like a wasted 9-hour wait for such minimal advice. Our consultation with her lasted no more than 5 minutes. My disappointment with the hospital in my hometown is profound.
While waiting in the initial waiting room, a young mother arrived with her baby, who was bleeding from the head. Shockingly, the administration refused to provide her with an appointment. Once she left with her baby, we could hear the administrators laughing loudly. It was a distressing and inhumane sight. It seems that the hospital staff lack empathy and compassion. While not everyone there may be lacking in these qualities, it is clear that improvements are needed in the staff. In all honesty, it appears that almost anyone could do a better job than the current team on duty.
Terry Jordan (2025-06-13, 6:15 a.m.):
Sunday, 6th April 2025
Dear Sir or Madam, Messieurs Dames,
My good man and I felt compelled to express our deepest gratitude for the exceptional care and professionalism we received at the Emergency department yesterday, Saturday, 5th April 2025. The service and compassion shown by all, including Dr. Eric Leopold Laviolette, MD, were truly remarkable. We are at a loss for words to adequately convey our appreciation.
A heartfelt thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Ian and Lise Dussault Peck
Hudson QC J0P 1H0
Charlotte Hayes (2025-06-11, 2:15 a.m.):
Quite dreadful, the waiting times at this hospital are simply abysmal. With only 2 doctors on duty during the day and a solitary one at night, one would expect a more robust staffing arrangement for a facility of this size. If you opt to seek care here, be ready for a likely wait of 12-24 hours. The situation may not be aided by the fact that all our Quebecois neighbors seem to be flocking to Ontario for medical attention, depleting the resources available.
Allison Butler (2025-06-10, 4:00 a.m.):
Absolutely smashing experience at this hospital! The staff were ever so friendly and considerate. I popped into the ER with a spot of head trauma and was in and out in under 2.5 hours, when just the day before I had languished in another hospital for a whopping 7+ hours. The service here is absolutely top-notch. A solid 10/10 to all the chaps on the team who work tirelessly to ensure their patients are in the pink of health and jolly good spirits :) Cheers!
