Emergency Care

Fast, expert emergency care in San Diego

Doctors and Nurses going down hallway with patient in bed

Fast, expert emergency care in San Diego

When you need emergency care, every minute counts. All Scripps emergency room locations in San Diego County use a rapid assessment process that’s streamlined for the fastest care when you need it most.


Whenever a situation is life-threatening, call 9-1-1 immediately.


In the event of a trauma injury, Scripps has two trauma center locations providing comprehensive emergency care.


For an urgent, but non-life or limb-threatening health concern, urgent care is often a convenient alternative to the emergency room. Find Scripps urgent care, including 24-hour urgent care in La Jolla.

Emergency room locations

All Scripps ERs are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. See below to find an emergency room near you.

ER in Encinitas

Serving coastal North County communities, including Solana Beach, Cardiff and Carlsbad. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas ER

354 Santa Fe Drive

Encinitas, CA 92024


Get directions to the ER in Encinitas.

ER in La Jolla

Serving the communities of La Jolla, University City, Solana Beach, Del Mar, Sorrento Valley, Pacific Beach and Ocean Beach. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla ER

Level I Trauma Center

(Located inside Prebys Cardiovascular Institute)

9888 Genesee Avenue

La Jolla, CA 92037


Get directions to the ER in La Jolla.

ER in Central San Diego

Serving downtown and communities of Hillcrest, North Park, Mission Valley, Point Loma, Old Town and Serra Mesa.


Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego ER 

Level I Trauma Center

4077 5th Avenue

San Diego, CA 92103


Get directions to the ER in San Diego.

ER in Chula Vista

Serving South Bay communities, including Otay Mesa, National City, Imperial Beach and Bonita. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.


Scripps Mercy Hospital Chula Vista ER

435 H Street

Chula Vista, CA 91910


Get directions to the ER in Chula Vista.

When to go to the emergency room

Conditions and injuries that need immediate attention:


  • Chest pain
  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Broken bones or dislocated joints
  • Facial lacerations
  • Deep skin abrasions or severe cuts requiring stitches
  • Vaginal bleeding with pregnancy
  • Fevers with a rash
  • Head injury or eye injury
  • Severe flu and cold symptoms
  • Sudden change in mental state


Not sure whether you need to go to urgent care or the ER? Making the right choice could save your life. If you think you might have a serious condition — including heart attack, stroke, severe bleeding, severe head injury or other major trauma — call 9-1-1 immediately. Do not take a chance with anything life-threatening.


Read “Should You Go to the Emergency Room or Urgent Care?” to learn more about which problems can be treated in urgent care versus the emergency room.

What to expect in the emergency room

Once you check-in and register at a Scripps emergency room, you’ll be evaluated. Then, you’ll be seen by an emergency nurse and emergency physician at the same time, so you only have to explain your symptoms once. Your emergency care team may then order tests or prescribe a treatment plan to get you back home as soon as possible.

Quality emergency care

At Scripps, you’ll receive the highest quality of emergency care for a variety of injuries and conditions. Our emergency departments have been recognized for best practices and fast, efficient care — which is often what matters most when you’re having an emergency. Below are a few reasons to trust Scripps the next time you need emergency care.

Life-saving stroke care

All five Scripps Health hospital campuses — Scripps Mercy San Diego, Scripps Mercy Chula Vista, Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas and Scripps Green Hospital — have earned the Stroke Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award for delivering high-quality, life-saving stroke care.


Additionally, all four Scripps hospital campuses with emergency rooms — Scripps Memorial La Jolla, Scripps Memorial Encinitas, Scripps Mercy San Diego and Scripps Mercy Chula Vista — were recognized for delivering thrombolytic therapy (a medication called intravenous tissue plasminogen activator) to eligible patients within one hour of hospital arrival at least 75% of the time. 

Certified STEMI receiving centers for heart attacks

All of our emergency rooms are certified by the American Heart Association as STEMI receiving centers for the treatment of heart attacks. A STEMI receiving center works closely with first responders to ensure that heart attack patients receive the fastest, most effective heart attack care. We use evidence-based techniques to minimize heart damage and improve your chances of survival and long-term recovery after a heart attack.

Trauma centers for serious injuries

Scripps Health operates two facilities with trauma care serving San Diego County: Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego (a Level I trauma center) and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla (a Level I trauma center). The American College of Surgeons assigns Level I trauma center designation to hospitals that provide a comprehensive range of immediately available, in-house services and expertise. The designation ensures that trauma patients receive the most complete range of timely care available in their region. 


Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas has a heli-stop, which is used to transport patients out of the hospital to a designated trauma center.


Scripps trauma centers are staffed 24 hours a day with a diverse group of surgeons and specialists who have the expertise needed to treat a wide range of illnesses and injuries.

Insurance coverage

Scripps accepts a number of health plans available from insurers, brokers and Covered California. Get more information about insurances accepted and financial assistance at Scripps.