Emergency Department at Vancouver General Hospital
- 920 W 10th Ave Vancouver, BC V5Z 1M9
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- General information and visiting hours: (604) 875-4111
- Admissions: (604) 875-4300
Always go to the Emergency Department if you have been in a major accident or for potentially life-threatening symptoms.
Not sure if you need to go to the Emergency Department? Learn when to go or find other care options.
The Emergency Department (ED) at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. VGH is a level 1 trauma site. At this location, emergency care is available for patients requiring life-threatening medical attention due to illness, injury, or overdose.
If you don't have an emergency, please consider going to an Urgent and Primary Care Centre near you.
Hours of operation
We operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
How to get here
The entrance to the Emergency Department at Vancouver General Hospital is located at the corner of Laurel Street and West 10th Avenue in Vancouver, B.C. Please check the location map for directions.
Drop off area
Please follow the signs for the Emergency Department. Patients who can walk or use a wheelchair can be dropped off outside the ED doors, and patients with limited mobility can be brought in through the ED entrance.
Parking
Pay parking
Parkades are located at 12th Avenue and Laurel Street and near the Gordon and Leslie Diamond Health Care Centre at 12th Avenue and Oak Street. Additional parking options, including meters and lots, are within a few blocks of VGH. Please refer to the site map for parkade details. Overnight parking is not allowed for trailers or mobile homes. One-week passes for the VGH West 12th Avenue parkade can be purchased at the parkade pay stations.
Download parking rates for VCH facilities
Wheelchair accessible parking
In both VGH parkades, wheelchair-accessible spaces are located by the elevators on levels 1, 2, 3 and 4. Metered spaces are available at street level of the Jim Pattison Pavilion (enter from 12th Avenue) and in the inner courtyard. Please display your “Disabled” parking permit.
Parking meters on-site
Metered parking spaces are available outside the Jim Pattison Pavilion for patient pick-up and drop-off. Additional metered spaces for evenings and weekends are located in the inner courtyard north of 12th Avenue, with access off Heather Street.
Free parking
You may find two-hour free parking between Oak and Granville streets (southwest of the hospital) and between West 12th and West 20th Avenues. Check the signs, as parking attendants monitor the area, and some blocks are for residents only.
For more parking information, please call (604) 875-4832.
Frequently asked questions
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What should I bring to the Emergency Department?
If possible, bring photo ID, your BC Services Card or CareCard and a list of any medications you are taking. If available, please also bring any Medical Orders of Scope of Treatment (MOST) forms or have a loved one bring them in.
We also suggest you minimize bringing personal belongings or valuables to the Emergency Department.
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What happens when I arrive at the Emergency Department?
- A Triage Nurse will assess your symptoms and vital signs upon arrival. Please have your photo ID, BC Services Card or CareCard, and a list of current medications ready.
- Patients are seen in the Emergency Department based on how ill or injured they are. Those with the most critical conditions are seen first, regardless of arrival time.
- Please be aware that your medical records from your family doctor are not accessible at the Emergency Department. Emergency doctors only have information about your medical history from previous visits to that hospital.
- VCH Emergency Department staff are dedicated to delivering the highest quality of health care. During your visit to the ED, we appreciate your patience as we wait for test results, interpretations, consultations, and other information necessary for your diagnosis and treatment.
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Where should I take my child in case of an emergency?
If your child is experiencing a medical emergency, such as trouble breathing, loss of consciousness, or a mental health crisis, call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency department.
BC Children's Hospital Emergency Department in Vancouver is open 24 hours a day and provides emergency care to children and youth up to the age of 16.
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What happens when I'm ready to go home from the Emergency Department?
- Your health care team will work with you to help plan when you will go home.
- Your doctor may write you a prescription for medication and a nurse will give you instructions on how to take the medication.
- Try to arrange a family member or friend to drive or accompany you home.
- Your health care team will work with you to coordinate any additional care that is required, such as home & community care services, care at another hospital or rehabilitation services.
Support for your visit
Indigenous services and resources
High-quality, culturally-safe health-care services to assist Indigenous Peoples and their families.
Emergency mental health care
Learn what to expect before going to the hospital, at the hospital and leaving the hospital.
Indigenous patient navigators
Provides direct patient and family support while respecting local traditions, protocols, and practices to ensure culturally safe health care services.
Interpreter services
If it's difficult for you to communicate with health-care staff in English, interpreter services are available free of charge. Please speak to a staff member if you or your family needs the help of an interpreter.
Spiritual health and multi-faith services
Through spiritual health and multi-faith services, spiritual health practitioners help people address the profound thoughts and feelings that can poignantly arise at times of significant illness or trauma.
Patient feedback
We invite you to share your feedback through the Patient Care Quality Office, an accessible and transparent point of contact regarding the quality of care you receive.
Resources
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Emergency discharge instructions
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Overdose response, Naloxone and training
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Mental health and substance use services
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Vancouver General Hospital (VGH)
Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) offers specialized health-care services to residents in Vancouver and across the province through regional programs. We provide a full range of basic and highly specialized emergency health-care and trauma services to British Columbia.