The Emergency Center

In the event of a life or limb threatening emergency call 911.

The Emergency Center at University Hospital is the largest ER in San Antonio treating an average of 70,000 patients each year. It is also home to the leading Level I Trauma Center for a 22-county region of South/Central Texas.

We provide a full spectrum of emergency services including trauma, medical, OB-GYN, psychiatric and social services for patients of all ages. We are located in the sub-level of University Hospital.

We understand when patients first arrive at the emergency center (EC), they are often at their most vulnerable. Their emotional and physical needs are often complicated by psychosocial issues. Because of the unique needs of our patients and the rapid pace of activity in the EC, this type of work is not for everybody. The EC staff is a highly-trained group of board-certified emergency physicians and physician assistants. Many of our nurses are certified in emergency nursing.

The University Hospital EC is designed to care for all people with true medical emergencies or serious injuries - regardless of their abilities to pay.

University Hospital's emergency center has been one of ten U.S. trauma centers (the only one in Texas) taking part in the Urgent Matters program developed by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The goal of the initiative is to help all U.S. hospitals decrease ER overcrowding and raise awareness about the relationship between the lack of low-cost primary care for the uninsured and the serious strain on resources intended for emergency medical and trauma patients.