Network institutions

Public institutions are entities that include several facilities providing health care or social services. For example, an institution may group together several hospitals. However, it is not always easy to determine the institution with which certain facilities are affiliated. As a result, when users files a complaint, it may not be immediately clear who they should contact.

Which Commissioner office should you go to if you are dissatisfied with an ambulance ride? To whom should you report the poor quality of food at a seniors’ residence? 

Types of institutions

The centres intégrés de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) and the centres intégrés universitaires de santé et de services sociaux (CIUSSS)

These institutions were formed with the fusion of a part or all of the public institutions in a same region with the health and social services agency (agence de santé et des services sociaux). The difference between a CISSS and the CIUSSS come from their board of directors: The CIUSSS must have two members of their board of directors nominated by a list provided by the university in that region.

Other institutions

Certain institutions did not get fused or grouped into the integrated centre (CISSS or CIUSSS), they are:

  • The Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM)
  • The Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine (Sainte-Justine Hospital)
  • The Centre universitaire de santé McGill
  • L’Institut de Cardiologie de Montréal (Cardiology Institute of Montreal)
  • L’institut Philippe-Pinel de Montréal (Philippe-Pinet Institute of Montreal)
  • The CHU de Québec
  • L’Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec – Université Laval (Heart and Lung Institute of Quebec- Laval University)

The institutions brings together facilities

Facilities are physical places where health services and social services are provided to the population. So, these services are furnished by the institutions, through the facilities. Facilities are, for example:

  • Hospital centres
  • CLSCs
  • Long-term care facilities (CHSLD)
  • Youth protection centres
  • Readaptation centres
  • Intermediate resources
  • Foster families and residences
  • etc.
In case of doubt, you can always contact us.