Emergency room transfer frequently asked questions (FAQs)

• Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania patients can use the 3600 Civic Center Boulevard Parking Garage at 3600 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Get directions) or The Clifton Center Parking Garage at 1 Convention Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Get directions). Learn more about parking at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania.
• Pennsylvania Hospital patients can park at the Delancey Street Garage at 711 Delancey Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106 (Get directions). Learn more about parking at Pennsylvania Hospital.
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center patients can park at the Penn Presbyterian Parking Garage at 3801 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (Get directions). Learn more about parking at Penn Presbyterian.

Our hospitals have different ways to help you:

• The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania will provide patients with a cab voucher to get to where their car is after discharge.
• Pennsylvania Hospital will pay one full day of parking costs for patients who transfer to Pennsylvania Hospital from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania or Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.
• Patient and Guest Relations can provide patients with parking vouchers on a case-by-case basis. Learn more and contact Patient and Guest Relations.

Please contact the Patient and Guest Relations team for the hospital you are transferring to. They can answer your questions and connect you with resources.

Patients starting at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

• Pennsylvania Hospital is about 2.5 miles away and a 10-minute car or ambulance ride.
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center is about 1 mile away and a 5-minute car or ambulance ride.

Patients starting at Pennsylvania Hospital

• The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is about 2.5 miles away and a 10-minute car or ambulance ride.
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center is about 4 miles away and is a 15-minute car or ambulance ride

Patients starting at Penn Presbyterian

• The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania is about 1 mile away and is a 5-minute car or ambulance ride.
• Pennsylvania Hospital is 4 miles away and is a 15-minute car or ambulance ride.

If you choose to move to a different hospital, we aim to get you there within two hours. An ambulance will pick you up from your current hospital and deliver you directly to your room. You will not be expected to stop in another Emergency Department and wait longer.

You can expect to wait longer for an inpatient bed in our hospital. You may need to stay in the Emergency Department for several hours or days before a bed becomes available.

Yes. If you decline to move to a different hospital now, you are welcome to reconsider the offer and accept it later.

If you choose to be transferred, you will go directly to your inpatient room in a different hospital. If you choose to stay here, we cannot provide an estimated wait time. It depends on the number of patients in the Emergency Department and the urgency of their medical needs.

We are offering this service to help patients get beds more quickly. We do not want to increase your wait time.

Maybe, but it depends on the hospital you are going to and what your care needs are.

• Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania – Yes. All rooms are private.
• Pennsylvania Hospital – A private room is not guaranteed unless you require isolation.
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center – Most floors offer private rooms, but not all.

Yes. You will be transferred to another Penn Medicine hospital in Philadelphia, and your care team will include Penn Medicine providers.

Yes. Penn Medicine’s hospitals have subspecialists on staff.

Your Penn Medicine doctors can see your electronic medical record in Epic and Care Everywhere. They will know that you were transferred and which hospital you went to. Your inpatient care team will also connect with your outpatient health care providers, as needed.

To find out where you are, your loved ones can stop at the hospital’s welcome desk or call the operator:

• Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania - 215-662-4000
• Pennsylvania Hospital - 215-829-3000
• Penn Presbyterian Medical Center - 215-662-8000

No. You will not be charged any additional ambulance or admission fees if you decide to go to a different hospital.

No. Your insurance coverage will not be affected.

No. You will not be charged more for the care you receive if you choose to go to a different Penn Medicine hospital in Philadelphia.

No. You do not need to return.

You will not return to the hospital/emergency room you started in unless you need to pick up your car. The hospital you are discharged from can help coordinate transportation to get to your vehicle.