Kingston Health Sciences Centre's Adult Eating Disorders Program provides assessment, consultation, and treatment services to individuals 18 years of age and older who meet the diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, bulimia nervosa or other specified feeding or eating disorders. For individuals with a body mass index (BMI) below 16, a referral to a higher level of care is required.
The program provides evidence-based treatment primarily in group format, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for eating disorders and nutrition support.
The program goals are:
- Restoring physical health (including normalization of eating and weight restoration)
- Symptom interruption (e.g., interruption of bingeing, purging, restriction, excessive exercise)
- Acquiring recovery-oriented skills
- Improving participants’ quality of life
Please note that our program does not currently accept referrals for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder.
For more detailed information on this program, please see our patient guide.
Assessment Process
- Patients entering the program first receive a psychiatric assessment with the team psychiatrist to determine an appropriate treatment plan
- A physical assessment with the nurse practitioner will be completed
- Follow-up support for related medical concerns will be provided to community referral sources
Wait times
After we receive your referral, the program secretary will typically contact you within one month to schedule an assessment, which is usually available within six to eight weeks of that contact. Patients who are accepted into the program after the nurse practitioner’s assessment begin nutrition sessions with a registered dietitian. As treatment progresses, patients also participate in our Cognitive Behavioural Therapy group for eating disorders, a core component of the program that supports long-term recovery.
Location
We are located at 166 Brock Street, on Centenary 5 of Kingston Health Sciences Centre’s (KHSC) Hotel Dieu Hospital (HDH) site.
Directions within the hospital:
- Take the main elevators (located in the lobby) to the fifth floor
- Turn right out of the elevators and follow the hallway until you reach another set of elevators. Beside this elevator is a gray door (this door may be shut).
- Go through the gray closed door and take this hallway to the end. The office is on the left-hand side and has three large windows into the hallway.
Contact
Please call us with 72 business hours' notice if you need to reschedule or cancel your appointment.
Phone: 613-544-3400 ext. 22506 or 1-855-544-3400 (toll-free)
Fax: 613-545-1364 (referrals only)
Email: @email (referrals only)
Mailing Address:
Adult Eating Disorders Program
KHSC's Hotel Dieu Hospital site
Centenary 5
166 Brock Street
Kingston, ON K7L 5G2
Attendance expectations
We’re committed to providing timely and compassionate care. If you cannot attend your scheduled appointment with the Adult Eating Disorders Program, please let us know as soon as possible. This allows us to offer the time to someone else on our extensive waitlist. We do not double book appointments; your appointment time is reserved exclusively for you.
New / Initial Appointments
- If you need to cancel your first appointment, call the program secretary at 613-544-3400 x 22506 at least 72 hours in advance.
- With proper notice, you’ll be placed back on the waitlist. Please note, rebooking may take up to 3 months.
- Late cancellations or no-shows will result in file closure.
- A second cancellation, even with 72-hour notice, will lead to file closure.
Follow-Up Appointments
- The same 72-hour cancellation policy applies to follow-up appointments.
- This includes no show or last-minute cancellations of less than 72 hours unless a medical emergency has occurred.
- Repeated non-attendance, including two consecutive no-shows or cancellations within 72 hours of scheduled appointments with the psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, or registered dietitian, may result in discharge from the program.
- It is our team’s practice to wait 15 minutes before leaving virtual sessions. Please sign in early to each virtual appointment to allow sufficient time should a technical issue arise.
- If you are unable to log in, please contact the program secretary.
Group Therapy Attendance
- Group therapy is an important component of your treatment journey, and we ask that you attend the group offered to you. If you are unable to participate in group therapy, you may be discharged from the program.
- If you miss 2 group sessions, you may be discharged from the program. Group therapy content is sequential and missing group sessions disrupts your recovery and interferes with group dynamics.
Important Notes
- If you choose to decline treatment but later wish to return, a new referral is required after your file is closed.
- No medications will be prescribed or renewed after discharge from the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What areas do we serve?
The Adult Eating Disorders Program provides services to residents of southeastern Ontario. Referrals from outside the region are considered on a case-by-case basis. If our program is not the most appropriate service for a patient, our team will work with the referring practitioner to identify suitable treatment options and resources closer to the patient’s home community.
Are there other adult eating disorders treatment programs in the region?
The following adult eating disorders treatment programs offer both inpatient and day programs in Ontario:
+ Ottawa Hospital – Regional Center for the Treatment of Eating Disorders
+ Toronto General Hospital Eating Disorder Program
+ Trillium Health Partners Eating Disorders Program at Credit Valley Hospital
+ Homewood Health Centre’s Eating Disorder 9-week and 16-week Programs
