About Emergency Department Wait Times

El Camino Health works to provide prompt, efficient emergency care. For your convenience, we post the current average wait times, updated every 10 minutes, on our website.

To expedite your care, you may be seen by a provider (physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner) who may initiate treatment at the time of medical screening in the triage area.

Estimated wait times are approximate and subject to change.

Our goal is to minimize your wait and keep you informed. Therefore, we measure and report the approximate wait time for our emergency departments at our Mountain View and Los Gatos hospitals. The wait times displayed on our website indicate the time it takes for someone to be screened for the first time by a provider, after being checked in. Updated approximately every 10 minutes, the wait times are averaged over the last hour.  Although the wait times are approximate, they don’t guarantee your actual wait time.

The Order Patients Are Seen

Everyone is prescreened to determine their need for immediate medical attention. Those who arrive by ambulance are typically seen immediately.  People with life-threatening injuries or illnesses will receive medical treatment more quickly than those with less serious conditions. If your condition doesn’t require immediate care, you may have a longer wait time.

After assessing the severity of your condition, the nurse will either bring you to a treatment area — assuming an appropriate treatment room is available — or ask you to sit in the waiting room. If your condition changes while you’re waiting, please notify the triage nurse.

There are circumstances that can impact the time you spend in the emergency department, such as:

  • Patients who are treated before others due to minor illnesses or injuries; care is provided to them in fast-track areas.
  • Tests and procedures that add to the length of your wait or stay.
  • Staff attending to seriously ill or injured patients that may have arrived by ambulance through a different entrance; you may not see other patients in the waiting area.

We appreciate your patience as we work to provide the best care to all patients.

See our emergency care locations.