The Emergency Department (ED) at UMC Utrecht serves adults and children who need emergency medical care. The department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You may be referred by your family doctor or general practice center, the ambulance nurse, the X-ray department or your medical specialist.
Emergency dentist
Emergency dental care is not available at UMC Utrecht. For that, you must contact the Dental Emergency Service in Utrecht or the surrounding area directly.
As of February 1, 2026, Dental Emergency Services in the Utrecht region are:
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Take with you to the ED
- a valid identity document
- your health insurance details
- details of your family doctor and pharmacy
- referral letter from family doctor or general practice center
- your own medication if you expect to be admitted
Please leave valuables at home as much as possible.
Arrival at the emergency department
When you arrive at the emergency room, a staff member at the front desk will register you. Usually we know you are coming, but we still ask for your information to make sure the right information is with the right patient. This also happens if you are brought by ambulance. Data we ask for are:
- a valid identity document
- your health insurance details
- details of your general practitioner and pharmacy
- referral letter from the general practitioner or HAP
If you are enrolled, a nurse will take you.
Exam
The nurse will ask you questions and take some measurements to assess how severe your symptoms are. If necessary, we will do additional tests, such as blood tests, an ultrasound or a heart monitor. A doctor will also talk with you and do a physical examination.
How long will I be in the emergency room?
Your situation will be assessed; this will affect your stay. How long you are in the emergency room depends on:
- The severity of your symptoms
- The tests and treatments you need
- how busy the A&E department is at that time
We try to keep patients in the ER as short as possible, but on average patients spend 3-4 hours in the ER.
For all tests, you must wait until the results are known. Once the results are known, the doctor will see if a cause has been found for your symptoms and make the best treatment plan for it.
Sometimes it is necessary for another medical specialist to see you to help identify your symptoms. As a result, you may be seen by more than one doctor and may require additional testing.
Counseling & visits in the ED
You may bring a maximum of two people with you during your visit to the ED. In the nursing wards, the rules for visiting and escorting may be different than in the ED.
Costs in A&E
Patients are asked to pay immediately when they report for medical care in the Emergency Department (ED) and
- is not insured,
- has foreign insurance or
- cannot show a valid insurance card.
The cost of care cannot then be claimed (directly) by the hospital from an insurance company. Therefore, the cost of this treatment is for your own account.
By default, a deposit of € 385 must be paid for an initial consultation. This can be paid by pin or credit card at the emergency room counter. The patient will be given a proof of payment. Cash payment is not possible.
The actual cost of the emergency room visit may be higher or lower. For any follow-up treatment, the amount already paid will be deducted from the remaining cost of the treatment.
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