Duke University Hospital: Emergency Room
Our team of registered nurses, board-certified emergency medicine doctors, emergency medicine nurse practitioners, physician assistants and technicians are trained to provide all aspects of emergency care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Clinic Hours
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
2301 Erwin Rd
Durham, NC 27710-4699
Clinic Hours
Open 24 hours, 7 days a week.
If you're unsure how serious your condition is, call your doctor's office or your health insurance company's nurse line for advice if your doctor isn't available. Or, use this guide to help you decide where to go for timely and cost-effective medical care.
Services
As a Level 1 trauma center, our medical teams care for children and adults with complex traumatic injuries including falls, motor vehicle accidents and gunshot wounds. As a regional referral center, sick and injured people with extensive medical needs are transported here through Duke LifeFlight and other emergency transport services, from an accident scene, or after assessment at their community hospital.
Wait Times
Wait times are a concern in any emergency department. How quickly one is seen is dependent on many factors. During peak emergency times, an emergency department provider is stationed at the emergency room registration area to perform a medical screening exam and initiate care upon patients’ arrival.
Read more: 9 facts about emergency care
Additional Emergency Department Areas
- Our child-friendly pediatric area is staffed by an expert team of pediatric emergency medicine specialists and nurses.
- The clinical evaluation/observation unit is for people who need medical observation but do not require inpatient admission.
- The fast track /SPEED area treats people with minor illnesses or injuries.
- The psychiatric area is for people with mental illness-related emergencies.
Heart and Stroke Care
- As a Comprehensive Stroke Center, we are trained in the latest procedures and technology, and offer the highest level of specialized stroke care from the second you arrive in the emergency room.
- Our efforts to improve cardiac care include an emergency response protocol for heart attack that ensures patients receive life-saving treatment as quickly as possible.
Urgent Care
If you need medical attention that is not life-threatening, please visit one of our conveniently located urgent care clinics or you can reserve your spot online.
Read more: Should you go to urgent care?
For questions about the following, please visit:
- Duke My Chart to make follow up appointments and access portions of your medical record
- Understanding your bill for questions about your bill and payment options
- Patient and visitor relations to submit a suggestion, concern or compliment
Our Providers
Accepted Insurance
Duke Health contracts with most major health insurance carriers and transplant networks. Please call your insurance company to confirm your access to health care services at Duke Health locations and what (if any) co-payments, co-insurances and deductibles will be your responsibility. Duke University Hospital provides medical screening exams and stabilizing treatment for patients with emergency medical conditions regardless of ability to pay.
- Aetna Choice POS, Aetna Choice POS II
- Aetna Elect Choice HMO, Aetna Open Access Elect Choice
- Aetna Health Network Only, Aetna Health Network Option
- Aetna HMO
- Aetna Limited Benefit Insurance PPO
- Aetna Managed Choice POS
- Aetna Medicare Assure Plan (HMO D-SNP)
- Aetna Medicare Eagle Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Essential Plan (PPO)
- Aetna Medicare Value Plan (HMO)
- Aetna Open Access HMO, Open Access Aetna Select, Aetna Open Access Managed Choice
- Aetna Open Choice PPO
- Aetna PCP Coordinated POS Plan
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (QPOS)
- Aetna Select HMO
- Aetna Traditional Choice
- Aetna Voluntary Indemnity Group Plan
- Aetna Whole Health – Duke WakeMed WKCC
- Aetna/CVS Health
- Ambetter of North Carolina
- Blue Advantage
- Blue Medicare (HMO, PPO)*
- Blue Options (123, PPO, HSA)
- Blue Select
- NC State Employees Health Plan
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice does not participate in the plan.
- Cigna Behavioral Health (*Limited eligibility)
- Cigna Choice Plus
- Cigna Connect Individual Family Plan
- Cigna Open Access
- Cigna Open Access Plus
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*Please call Cigna Behavioral Heath to see if the provider is participating in your plan.
- Duke Basic
- Duke Select
- Experience Health Medicare Advantage (HMO) Plan
- Halifax Physician-Hospital Organization plans*
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*This plan is only accepted at Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, and Duke HomeCare & Hospice.
- Humana Choice (PPO)
- Humana Choice - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana ChoiceCare - Medicare Advantage (PPO)
- Humana Gold Choice - Medicare Advantage (PFFS)
- Humana Gold Plus - Medicare Advantage (HMO)
- Humana Medicare Advantage Group Plan - NC State Retirees
- First Medicare Direct
- Medicare Part A
- Medicare Part B
- AmeriHealth Caritas North Carolina
- Carolina Complete Health
- Healthy Blue
- NC Medicaid Direct
- UnitedHealthcare Community Plan
- WellCare of North Carolina
- FAMIS*
- Optima Family Care (Medicaid HMO in VA)*
- Optima Individual & Family (On & Off Exchange Plans)
- Optima Plus (PPO)
- Optima Vantage (HMO)
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*Duke Primary Care, Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, and Duke Raleigh Hospital are not participating with this plan.
- TRICARE Prime
- TRICARE Prime Remote
- TRICARE Select
- AARP Medicare Advantage Plan 2 (HMO-POS)
- AARP Medicare Complete (HMO, PPO)*
- AARP Medicare Complete Essential (HMO)*
- All Savers Alternate Funding
- All Savers Fully Insured
- United Healthcare (HMO, PPO, POS)
- United Healthcare Charter/Charter Balance/Charter Plus
- United Healthcare Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Core/Core Essential
- United Healthcare Navigate/Navigate Plus/Navigate Balanced
- United Healthcare Option PPO
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Choice/Choice Plus
- United Healthcare Passport Connect Options PPO
- United Healthcare Select/Select Plus
- United Healthcare Shared Services - Harvard Pilgrim/UHC Options PPO Network
- United Medical Resources (UMR)
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*Duke HomeCare and Hospice and mental health providers do not participate with the plan.
About Us
The Duke University Hospital emergency department provides immediate care to more than 80,000 sick or injured people each year. We treat people of all ages, from the tiniest newborns to the elderly, who come to the emergency room for serious medical concerns that need immediate medical attention.
Preparing For Your Visit
Accessibility Services
We provide equal access for all people and offer a range of free accessibility services to patients and visitors who need them.
Interpreter Services
Free interpreter services can be provided for patients who prefer to communicate in a language other than English.
Address
Parking
Please use our drop off area at the emergency department’s front entrance. Free valet is offered as a courtesy during your emergency department visit only. Parking is also available in the Duke University Hospital parking garage on Erwin Road. Cost: $2 per hour or a maximum $8 per day.
Public Transportation
Plan your trip to Duke University Hospital: Emergency Room through GoDurham bus routes 6, 11, 11B, and 20 or GoTriangle bus routes 400 and 405. The closest bus stops are Duke Hospital, Erwin Rd at Research Dr, and Erwin Rd at Emergency Dr. If you have trouble accessing these bus routes, visit GoDurham Access and GoTriangle Access to check if you meet the ADA eligibility for accessible transit programs.
Duke Transit provides free bus service to the Duke University Medical Center campus for students, employees, patients, and visitors. See maps of bus routes.