Emergency Medicine: Emergency Care Services

The UC San Diego Health System Emergency Department strives to provide the highest quality emergency medical care.

Emergency services are available 24 hours a day at UC San Diego Medical Center and the La Jolla Emergency Department located inside the UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center.

Medical Center Emergency Department offers the only designated comprehensive emergency services and Level I trauma center in San Diego, with immediate availability of all major medical specialties.

La Jolla Emergency Department in the UC San Diego Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center functions as a basic emergency service, offering a broad range of acute care as well as specialty consultation.

The Emergency Department is staffed by board-certified emergency medicine physicians trained in one or more specialties. A full-time attending physician is present 24 hours a day.

As of July 1, 2012, urgent care at UC San Diego Health System is no longer an option. Fast track care for minor injuries and illnesses is offered daily via the emergency department from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at both the Sulpzio Cardiovascular Center in La Jolla and the Medical Center in Hillcrest, and is a means of expediting care only. Fast track care is considered an emergency room visit by health insurers, your co-pay and deductible will be based on ED fees and your specific insurance policy. Read more about fees for care in the Emergency Department.

The Emergency Department’s policy is that all patients receive a physical examination by a doctor prior to any contact with the patient's insurer or primary care physician. This ensures you will receive the most appropriate care regardless of your ability to pay or the decision of you health plan concerning payment.