UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica Wait Times (ER)
Santa Monica, California · ER
Page last updated
Official / estimated
Estimated wait to first assessment
Typical range 40 min – 1h 25m
This hospital doesn't publish a live ER wait. Based on the typical wait to first assessment recorded for this hospital.
Typical wait times at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica
- Time to first assessment (triage / provider)
- 40 min – 1h 25m
- ER arrival to hospital admission (if admitted)
- 2h 40m – 5h 20m
- Total ER visit (if discharged)
- 4h – 8h 40m
Typical ranges based on community reports and historical patterns. Actual waits vary with patient volume and how urgent each case is.
About UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica
UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica provides detailed ER wait time information to help you understand what to expect during your visit.
- UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica provides emergency, trauma, and specialty care for the westside of Los Angeles.
Recent wait reports submitted by visitors
What people who waited here actually experienced, newest first.
No wait reports yet. Be the first to submit one.
Submit a past wait time
Already waited and been seen? Tell others how long it took.
Reported by visitors
Last report: no reports yet · Updated live from visitor submissions.
Best time to visit the ER at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica
Not enough history yet to call a best time.
This pattern is built from the waits we record at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica around the clock. It appears once every hour of the day has several readings behind it, rather than guessing from a thin sample.
In the meantime: across US emergency departments, evenings between about 6 PM and midnight are typically the busiest, and early mornings are usually quietest. Monday is often the heaviest weekday.
UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica wait time graph
No wait history for this hospital yet.
We chart the last 24 hours of published waits here, alongside any wait times visitors report. There aren't enough readings for UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica to draw a line yet.
Waited here recently? Submitting your wait above is the fastest way to get this graph started.
Location & emergency contacts
1250 16th St
Santa Monica, CA 90404
- 988988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text, 24/7, anywhere in the US
- 1-800-222-1222Poison ControlPoisoning, overdose or medication emergencies, 24/7
Not sure you need the ER? Call the 24/7 nurse advice line on the back of your insurance card.
Emergency rooms in Santa Monica
3 other departments in Santa Monica besides UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, shortest wait first.
| Hospital | Type | Wait | Source | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. John's Health Center | ER | 45 min | Typical | — |
| UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica | ER | 1h 3m | Typical | — |
| UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center | ER | 3h | Typical | — |
Nearby ERs outside Santa Monica
The closest emergency departments in neighboring communities — worth the drive when the local wait is long. Distances are straight-line, so allow more for real roads.
| Hospital | Distance | Wait | Source | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mattel Children's Hospital UCLALos Angeles | 3.5 mi | 25 min | Typical | — |
| Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLALos Angeles | 3.7 mi | 38 min | Typical | — |
| Centinela Freeman Regional Medical Center – Marina CampusMarina del Rey | 4.1 mi | 40 min | Typical | — |
| Century City HospitalLos Angeles | 4.8 mi | 45 min | Typical | — |
| Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical CenterLos Angeles | 3.5 mi | 1h 3m | Typical | — |
| Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center | 3.5 mi | 3h 15m | Typical | — |
Tips for visiting the ER in Santa Monica
Call 911 instead if it's severe
Chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, heavy bleeding, or a serious injury — call 911 rather than driving. Paramedics start treatment on the way and you are assessed on arrival instead of joining the queue.
Bring your insurance card, ID and a medication list
Bring your health insurance card, photo ID, and a written list of your medications, doses and allergies. Federal law (EMTALA) means an emergency department must screen and stabilize you whether or not you have insurance — never skip care over coverage.
Expect to be seen by severity, not arrival
Triage means the sickest patient goes first, so the posted wait is an estimate for an average patient. Tell the triage nurse immediately if your symptoms change or get worse while you are waiting — that can change your priority.
Check the wait before you leave, and compare other Santa Monica options
Waits move by the hour. Refresh this page just before you set off, and compare against the other departments listed further down — a longer drive can still mean a shorter total time.
Call a nurse line first if you're unsure
Most health insurers and hospital systems run a free 24/7 nurse advice line — the number is usually on the back of your insurance card. A nurse can tell you whether an emergency visit is warranted, or whether urgent care, telehealth or waiting until morning is safe.
Bring someone, and something to do
Emergency departments run 24/7 and waits of several hours are common. Bring a phone charger, water, any regular medication you take, and if you can, someone who can speak for you and drive you home.
Visitor reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.
Leave a review
Frequently asked questions
- What is the current ER wait time at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica?
- UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica does not publish a live emergency wait time. WaitUpdates.com shows an estimate of about 1h 3m to first assessment (typically 40 min – 1h 25m) instead, based on the typical waits recorded for UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica. Treat it as a rough guide — call the hospital for anything time-sensitive.
- How long does a full ER visit take at UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica?
- Longer than the wait to be seen. At UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, if you are admitted, the time from arriving in the ER to getting a hospital bed is typically 2h 40m – 5h 20m, and if you are treated and sent home, the whole visit typically takes 4h – 8h 40m. Tests, imaging and specialist consults all add time after the first assessment, so plan for a long stay even when the waiting room looks quiet.
- How many emergency departments are there in Santa Monica?
- WaitUpdates.com tracks 4 hospital departments in Santa Monica, 4 of which are emergency rooms. They are all listed on this page with their current waits, shortest first.
- Should I go to the emergency room with the shortest wait time?
- Not necessarily. US emergency departments triage by severity (most use the 5-level Emergency Severity Index), not arrival order, so a sicker patient arriving after you is seen first. A department showing a longer posted wait may still treat you sooner if your condition is urgent, and the posted figure is an estimate for average patients, not a promise. Use the shortest wait to choose between comparable options — never to decide whether to seek care at all.
- Where does WaitUpdates.com get UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica's wait times?
- UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica publishes no live figure, so the headline number is an estimate. Visitor reports on this page are shown separately and are never blended into the official number, because a handful of reports can be skewed easily.
- Is UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica open 24 hours?
- Hospital emergency departments in California, including UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica, are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays. Urgent care and walk-in clinics keep shorter hours, so check before traveling to one of those instead.
- What should I do if the wait in Santa Monica is long?
- This page lists the 6 nearest emergency departments outside Santa Monica with their current waits and distance, so you can weigh a drive against a wait. You can also call the 24/7 nurse advice line on the back of your insurance card to speak with a registered nurse about where to go. For something non-urgent, an urgent care center, a telehealth visit or a pharmacist can often help with far less wait. If symptoms are severe or worsening, call 911 — long waits are never a reason to avoid emergency care.
More cities in California
View all California ER wait times →Work at an ER?
If UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica publishes a wait time we are not showing — or the number here is wrong — tell us and we will wire up the feed. It is free, and it takes about 30 seconds.
⚠️ Wait times shown are estimates based on community reports and historical patterns, and are not endorsed by the hospital. Actual waits vary with patient volume and case severity. In an emergency, call 911.