Live Updated 8 hr ago
23min
current ed wait
14 min shorter than usual
53 min
avg today
37 min
avg overall
180 min
longest seen
Typical wait for non-urgent cases. Patients are seen in order of clinical priority. The most seriously ill are always seen first, no matter how busy the ER is.
Last reading is older than 30 minutes. Feed may be down.
Source: UC San Diego Health · auto-refreshed every 30 min · details
Life-threatening symptoms? Call 911. Don't rely on this site to make that decision.
Wait time, last 24 hours
Under 30 min 30 - 60 min Over 60 min Typical next few hours
Typical wait by hour of the day

Average wait at each hour, across every reading we have.

Hour-by-hour breakdown
HourAvg. waitTrend
Yesterday, 6 PM
avg. of 3 readings
1 hr 11 min steady
Yesterday, 5 PM
avg. of 6 readings
1 hr 13 min falling
Yesterday, 4 PM
avg. of 6 readings
1 hr 19 min steady
Yesterday, 3 PM
avg. of 6 readings
1 hr 20 min falling
Yesterday, 2 PM
avg. of 6 readings
1 hr 23 min rising
Yesterday, 1 PM
avg. of 6 readings
1 hr 20 min rising
Yesterday, 12 PM
avg. of 6 readings
1 hr 10 min rising
Yesterday, 11 AM
avg. of 6 readings
58 min steady
Yesterday, 10 AM
avg. of 6 readings
1 hr rising
Yesterday, 9 AM
avg. of 6 readings
45 min rising
Yesterday, 8 AM
avg. of 6 readings
37 min rising
Yesterday, 7 AM
avg. of 6 readings
31 min rising
Yesterday, 6 AM
avg. of 6 readings
26 min steady
Yesterday, 5 AM
avg. of 6 readings
25 min steady
Yesterday, 4 AM
avg. of 6 readings
24 min steady
Yesterday, 3 AM
avg. of 6 readings
22 min -
Visit San Diego County
Address
200 WEST ARBOR DRIVE
San Diego, CA 92103
Phone
Voluntary non-profit - Other
HoursOpen 24/7 Websitehealthlocations.ucsd.edu
Facilities & services
600
total beds
General acute care
facility type
Emergency & critical care
Dedicated ERShock / traumaBurn unitICUCCUEmergency psychHelipad
Imaging
CTMRIDiagnostic radiology
Surgery
Inpatient surgeryCath lab
Other services
ChemotherapyRenal dialysisPsychiatric unitPharmacy
Accessibility & amenities
Wheelchair-accessible entrance Wheelchair-accessible parking Wheelchair-accessible restroom Public restrooms Paid parking lot Paid street parking Apple Pay / Google Pay Welcomes lgbtq
ER performance
Typical ER visit length
Median time from arrival to leaving.
4 hr 23 min of 336 patients
Mental-health ER visit length
Mental health visits usually run longer (safety screening).
5 hr 52 min of 25 patients
Patients who left before being seen
Walked out before being seen, usually due to long waits.
4% of 121,683 visits
Compared to other US hospitals
Patient safety
Rates of infections, clots, falls and surgical complications during a stay.
Above average
Avoiding readmission
Patients returning within 30 days for the same condition.
Below average
Infection rates lower is better
Central-line bloodstream infections
Bloodstream infections from a central IV line. Known as CLABSI.
Better than average
0.57 1.00 = national avg
Catheter urinary-tract infections
UTIs from a urinary catheter. Known as CAUTI.
Better than average
0.58 1.00 = national avg
Colon surgery site infections
Wound infections after colon surgery.
Better than average
0.20 1.00 = national avg
Hysterectomy site infections
Wound infections after abdominal hysterectomy.
- About average
1.64 1.00 = national avg
MRSA bloodstream infections
Drug-resistant staph in the bloodstream.
- About average
0.88 1.00 = national avg
C. diff (intestinal) infections
Gut infections, often after antibiotics.
Better than average
0.38 1.00 = national avg
What patients say
Overall HCAHPS rating
Hospital rating
73% rated 9 or 10 of 10
73%
Would recommend
75% would definitely recommend
75%
Nurse communication
78% said nurses always communicated well
78%
Doctor communication
79% said doctors always communicated well
79%
Cleanliness
66% said the room was always clean
66%
Quietness at night
50% said the area was always quiet at night
50%
Clinicians on staff
1,938
total clinicians
106
ER physicians
By specialty
Internal medicine 115
Anesthesiology 113
Radiology 110
Hematology / oncology 64
Neurology 53
General surgery 45
Cardiology 44
Obstetrics / gynecology 44
Critical care 43
Pulmonology 31
Orthopedic surgery 29
Interventional radiology 13
Interventional cardiology 8
Where this number comes from

UC San Diego Health publishes this wait time on its website, health.ucsd.edu . We check it about every 30 minutes and show you the most recent number.

  • What it means: How long someone arriving right now would likely wait to see a doctor.
  • Last updated: 6:04pm on 10 Jun 2026 (hospital local time)
This reading hasn't refreshed in a while. The hospital's feed or our system may be temporarily down. Call the hospital to confirm before going.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the wait at UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr?

The most recently published wait at UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr is 23 minutes, as of 6:04pm hospital local time. The all-time average for this ER is around 37 minutes. Wait times change quickly , call the ER to confirm before you travel.

Should I go to the ER or to urgent care?

For life-threatening symptoms , chest pain, stroke signs (face drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty), severe bleeding, breathing difficulty, or loss of consciousness , call 911 and head to the ER. For minor injuries, fevers, low-grade illness, or anything non-emergency, urgent care is usually faster and cheaper. See urgent care near San Diego.

Is UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr open 24 hours?

Most Medicare-certified ERs in the US run 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To confirm the current status of UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr, call (619) 543-6222.

Where is UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr located?

UC San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr is located at 200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA, 92103. Phone: (619) 543-6222.