San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA

San Diego ER Wait Times

Note: ER wait times can change quickly. Sometimes an ER may not appear busy to those waiting in the lobby, but there can be a separate entrance for patients who arrive by ambulance.

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Historical Average ER Wait Time

This data comes from CMS emergency department performance data for Jan 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2025. ERcost averages the historical benchmark across ER locations in this metro area.

3 hr 20 min

CMS median ED time, 12 of 14 ER locations

Pediatric ERs

No pediatric ERs are listed in this metro inventory.

Showing 1-5 of 14 ER locations

Showing 1-10 of 14 ER locations

Palomar Health Downtown CampusGovernment - Hospital District or Authority

Reported

Wait Time

15 min

Last Updated

Jul 11, 2026, 8:29 PM PDT

Overall rating: 2 stars
Source: Patient-reported wait time
Source info: Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.
Historical Benchmark: Historical emergency department benchmark measures
ER volume: very high
Median time spent in ER i Median time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving.: 3 hr 41 min
Left before being seen i Percentage of patients who left the ER before being seen.: 2%

View ER Costs

Scripps Memorial Hospital La JollaPhysician

Reported

Wait Time

45 min

Last Updated

Jul 27, 2026, 11:08 PM PDT

Overall rating: 5 stars
Source: Patient-reported wait time
Source info: Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.
Historical Benchmark: Historical emergency department benchmark measures
ER volume: high
Median time spent in ER i Median time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving.: 3 hr
Left before being seen i Percentage of patients who left the ER before being seen.: 1%

View ER Costs

Sharp Chula Vista Medical CenterProprietary

Reported

Wait Time

50 min

Last Updated

Jul 6, 2026, 11:06 PM PDT

Overall rating: 4 stars
Source: Patient-reported wait time
Source info: Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.
Historical Benchmark: Historical emergency department benchmark measures
ER volume: very high
Median time spent in ER i Median time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving.: 3 hr 16 min
Left before being seen i Percentage of patients who left the ER before being seen.: 1%

View ER Costs

Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San DiegoVoluntary non-profit - Private

Reported

Wait Time

60 min

Last Updated

Jul 19, 2026, 11:01 PM PDT

Overall rating: 4 stars
Source: Patient-reported wait time
Source info: Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.
Historical Benchmark: Historical emergency department benchmark measures
ER volume: data unavailable
Median time spent in ER i Median time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving.: data unavailable
Left before being seen i Percentage of patients who left the ER before being seen.: data unavailable

View ER Costs

Grossmont HospitalGovernment - Hospital District or Authority

Reported

Wait Time

65 min

Last Updated

Aug 27, 2026, 9:23 AM PDT

Overall rating: 3 stars
Source: Patient-reported wait time
Source info: Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.
Historical Benchmark: Historical emergency department benchmark measures
ER volume: very high
Median time spent in ER i Median time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving.: 3 hr 8 min
Left before being seen i Percentage of patients who left the ER before being seen.: 2%

View ER Costs

Emergency room wait times by facility
Facility Name	Overall Rating		Last Updated	Historical Benchmark (Jan 1, 2024 to Jun 30, 2025)
Facility Name	Overall Rating		Last Updated		i Median time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving.	Left before being seen i Percentage of patients who left the ER before being seen.
Palomar Health Downtown CampusGovernment - Hospital District or AuthorityView ER Costs	2 stars	15 min Not a live wait estimate	Jul 11, 2026, 8:29 PM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	very high	3 hr 41 min	2%
Scripps Memorial Hospital La JollaPhysicianView ER Costs	5 stars	45 min Not a live wait estimate	Jul 27, 2026, 11:08 PM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	high	3 hr	1%
Sharp Chula Vista Medical CenterProprietaryView ER Costs	4 stars	50 min Not a live wait estimate	Jul 6, 2026, 11:06 PM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	very high	3 hr 16 min	1%
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San DiegoVoluntary non-profit - PrivateView ER Costs	4 stars	60 min Not a live wait estimate	Jul 19, 2026, 11:01 PM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	data unavailable	data unavailable	data unavailable
Grossmont HospitalGovernment - Hospital District or AuthorityView ER Costs	3 stars	65 min Not a live wait estimate	Aug 27, 2026, 9:23 AM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	very high	3 hr 8 min	2%
Scripps Memorial Hospital - EncinitasVoluntary non-profit - PrivateView ER Costs	5 stars	70 min Not a live wait estimate	Aug 19, 2026, 2:33 AM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	very high	3 hr 14 min	1%
Palomar Medical Center PowayGovernment - Hospital District or AuthorityView ER Costs	4 stars	75 min Not a live wait estimate	Jul 4, 2026, 5:24 AM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	medium	3 hr 15 min	2%
Tri-City Medical CenterGovernment - Hospital District or AuthorityView ER Costs	2 stars	110 min Not a live wait estimate	Aug 17, 2026, 2:31 PM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	high	4 hr 8 min	2%
Sharp Coronado Hospital And Hlthcr CtrProprietaryView ER Costs	5 stars	120 min Not a live wait estimate	Jul 17, 2026, 11:07 PM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	medium	2 hr 8 min	0%
Sharp Memorial HospitalVoluntary non-profit - PrivateView ER Costs	4 stars	130 min Not a live wait estimate	May 31, 2026, 6:05 AM PDT Patient-reported arrival-to-first-seen time. Not verified by a hospital and not a measure of total ER visit time.	very high	3 hr 17 min	2%

Showing 1-10 of 14 ER locations

Data Sources: Live wait-time values and recent patient reports are compiled from hospital-published sources, patient submissions, and verified updates. Historical data represents CMS-audited annual performance benchmarks and is not a live estimate of current ER volume. Hospital ownership labels and hospital overall ratings come from the CMS Hospital General Information dataset. CMS ratings are a broad summary, not a perfect measure of whether a hospital is best for a specific service.

Recent Patient Reports

Patient reports are submitted by site visitors. Wait times can change quickly and do not represent total ER visit time.

SCRIPPS MERCY HOSPITAL

205 min wait

Patient-reported

Arrival date and time: Aug 27, 2026, 5:16 PM PDT
Seen date and time: Aug 27, 2026, 8:41 PM PDT

GROSSMONT HOSPITAL

65 min wait

Patient-reported

Arrival date and time: Aug 27, 2026, 8:18 AM PDT
Seen date and time: Aug 27, 2026, 9:23 AM PDT

Alternatives to the ER

Call 911 or go to the ER for chest pain, stroke symptoms, severe breathing trouble, major injury, severe allergic reaction, or any symptom that may be life-threatening.

For non-emergency symptoms, these options can help you get guidance and decide whether home care, urgent care, or a trip to the ER is the right call.

Call Your Insurer's free 24/7 Nurse Line

Many insurance plans include a free 24/7 nurse line where a registered nurse can help you weigh your symptoms and figure out the right next step.

See major insurance nurse line numbers

Use 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care

24/7 virtual urgent care lets you see a provider from home, often in minutes, without waiting room time or an ER bill. Self-pay rates start as low as $59 per visit, and many plans cover it for free.

See virtual urgent care options

Nearby Supported Metro Areas

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