Wait Times at the Emergency Department
2024/12/10
At the Emergency Department, priority will be given to patients with life-threatening emergencies and more serious conditions who require immediate care. For patients with conditions assessed to be non-urgent, please note the waiting times may be longer. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
We are currently upgrading our system to show current waiting times. Please refer to the information below as an estimate for non-urgent cases.
Alternatives to visiting the Emergency Department If you are unsure whether you should visit our Emergency Department for your medical condition, simply call the NurseFirst Helpline at 6262 6262.
Alternatively, you may book a same-day consultation here at your nearest GP or polyclinic to seek medical treatment for non-emergency conditions.
Estimated wait time to see Doctor
Peak hours are generally from 10am to 6pm, and 10pm to 2am, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays. For non-urgent cases, wait times may take up to 4 hours.
For shorter wait during peak hours, you may be directed to visit the Alexandra Hospital Urgent Care Centre or nearby GP clinic if your condition is assessed to be appropriate and stable.
Estimated wait time to see Doctor
Peak hours are generally from 12pm to 6pm, and 8pm to 2am, especially on Mondays and weekends. For non-urgent cases, wait times may take up to 3 hours.
The team of paediatric doctors may be extremely occupied if there is a very sick child requiring more attention. Hence, we seek your patience and understanding that the wait time can be highly variable for non-urgent cases, and even during off-peak timings.
Waiting time for beds can vary greatly based on several factors including the current demand, and specific needs and requests of each patient. The duration of a general ward bed wait can range from 4 hours to even 40 hours during high demand periods.
National University Hospital is a member of the NUHS healthcare cluster, therefore patients may also be admitted to Alexandra Hospital under the cluster based on their conditions and diagnosis, as determined by doctors.
Your care and treatment is our priority. Your inpatient care begins while waiting for beds in the Emergency Department, as the ward teams of doctors will review you during that period.
