Urgent care and emergency rooms in Palo Alto

Palo Alto has more same-day and emergency care within a few miles than most cities its size. Stanford's medical campus on the northwest edge of town holds adult and pediatric emergency departments. Sutter Health runs adult and children's urgent care on El Camino Real. Stanford's Hoover Pavilion near the shopping center has an express care clinic and a walk-in clinic. The VA runs a 24-hour emergency department for veterans in the foothills.

This guide lists what each health system publishes about these services and explains how they differ. It does not give medical advice and it cannot tell you where to go for a particular problem. Hours and phone numbers come from the providers' own websites in October 2026. They change, especially on holidays, so check before you go. For a broader overview of hospitals and clinics, see our healthcare in Palo Alto guide.

Emergency room, urgent care, express care and walk-in clinics

The health systems use several names for same-day care. Here is how they describe each one.

• Emergency departments treat life-threatening problems and are open 24 hours a day. Stanford Health Care's where to get care page tells people to call 911 or go to the emergency department for symptoms it lists, including chest discomfort, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, passing out, serious burns and seizures.
• Urgent care handles minor injuries and illnesses that are not life-threatening, especially when your regular doctor's office is closed. Stanford's examples include sprains, ear infections, urinary tract infections and fever.
• Express care is Stanford's name for same-day appointments for minor problems. Stanford says appointments are required and some visits can happen by video.
• Walk-in clinics see patients without an appointment during set hours.

Emergency departments see the most serious cases first. If you are unsure, Stanford lists an advice nurse at 650-723-4000 who can direct you to the right place. Many health plans run their own advice lines. The number is often on your insurance card.

Emergency departments

Three emergency departments serve Palo Alto directly. A fourth is just over the border in Mountain View.

Stanford's emergency department page calls its trauma center the only Level 1 trauma center between San Francisco and the South Bay. The VA lists its emergency department as open 24 hours a day, every day. El Camino Health's location page lists its Mountain View emergency room as open 24 hours and says it provides emergency care for people of all ages. Its phone number is 650-940-7055.

Our Stanford Hospital visitor guide covers parking on the medical campus.

Sutter urgent care on El Camino Real

Sutter Health runs two urgent care clinics at its Palo Alto Center, on Level 1 of the Lee Building at 795 El Camino Real, near Town & Country Village.

• Sutter Urgent Care for adults 18 and older lists hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day and says walk-ins are welcome. Phone: (650) 853-2958.
• Sutter Children's Urgent Care for patients from birth to 17 lists the same daily hours and asks families to book online. Phone: (650) 853-6558.

The Palo Alto Medical Foundation directory page has more on the Palo Alto Center, including parking and other services.

Stanford same-day care at Hoover Pavilion

Stanford Health Care's Hoover Pavilion at 211 Quarry Road, the renovated original Palo Alto Hospital near Stanford Shopping Center, houses two same-day services.

• Express Care, Suite 102. Stanford's Express Care page lists hours of 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day for patients 6 months and older, with same-day appointments depending on availability. Phone: 650-736-5211.
• Stanford Walk-In Clinic, 4th floor, Suite 402. Its page lists weekday hours of 2:30 to 10 p.m. for patients 2 and older, with last check-in at 9 p.m. It is closed on holidays and may stop registering early when full. Phone: 650-498-3328.

The Hoover Pavilion Garage at 217 Quarry Road is open around the clock and the first hour is free. The building is a short walk from the Palo Alto Transit Center; our Stanford parking and transit guide covers the free Marguerite shuttle. Stanford also lists an Orthopaedic Acute Injury Clinic for minor bone and joint injuries in patients 17 and older, booked by phone.

Same-day primary care

For problems that can wait a day, a primary care office may be faster than urgent care. One Medical at 590 Forest Avenue downtown lists same or next-day primary care visits for adults, booked online, with an on-site lab. Stanford Primary Care and Sutter's Palo Alto Center also offer primary care appointments. If you have a regular doctor, call that office first. Many keep same-day slots for their own patients.

Insurance and cost

Stanford and Sutter are separate health systems and each works with different insurance plans. Before you need care, check which urgent care and emergency services are in your plan's network and save the numbers in your phone. Your insurance card often lists a nurse line and an urgent care number. Federal law requires hospital emergency departments to provide a medical screening exam and stabilizing treatment regardless of insurance or ability to pay.

Ambulance rides are billed separately from hospital care. Palo Alto Fire offers FireMed, a low-cost ambulance subscription for households, described in our healthcare guide.

Other numbers to keep handy

• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988. Veterans press 1. Our mental health resources guide lists local services.
• Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222, the national poison control line.
• Stanford advice nurse: 650-723-4000.
• VA Health Connect: 833-983-0487, a 24-hour line for veterans enrolled in VA care.
• Palo Alto Police non-emergency: (650) 329-2413, answered 24 hours a day.

For late-night prescriptions, see our pharmacies guide. For earthquakes, fires and power outages, see emergency preparedness.

Frequently asked questions