Visiting the Emergency Department | Changi General Hospital

The CGH Emergency Department (ED) provides 24-hour medical care for those requiring urgent or emergency medical attention. Priority of care is based on the severity or potential severity of the patient's condition, not based on the time of arrival, and our care team attends to the most critical cases first.

*Please note that sections of the CGH ED are undergoing improvement works. For more information, click here.

The ED patient journey

Registration and triage

Please bring along your identity card, work permit, foreigner pass, or passport. For patients who do not have these documents on them, treatment will proceed and family members are advised to bring their documents as soon as possible. If you have a referral letter, please present it during registration.

After registration, patients are triaged and assessed based on their condition and care needs. Potentially life-threatening or medically urgent cases are attended to first. After triage at Level 1 of the ED, patients may be directed to Level 2 of the ED for medical care. Patients are monitored while waiting for consultation and treatment.

Waiting times and continuity of care

As one of the busiest EDs in Singapore, there will be periods of high patient volume. Waiting time is determined by factors including the severity of the patient’s medical condition and the number of patients at the ED.

Patients with minor ailments or non-emergency concerns may need to wait longer for consultation. For non-urgent medical needs, patients are therefore encouraged to visit their nearest general practitioners (GPs) for timely medical treatment. Please click here for more information.

For patients who need to be admitted, high bed occupancy may result in longer waiting times in the ED for an inpatient bed. Patients waiting for an inpatient bed continue to receive active medical assessment, monitoring and treatment in the ED by our care team.

Where there is potential risk of medical complications, patients are advised to remain at the ED after assessment instead of returning home, as there is limited access to timely medical care in a home environment.

As part of the assessment, our care team also considers alternative care models such as right-siting to another care setting, or the CGH@Home programme, if clinically appropriate.

Visiting guidelines

To reduce risk of infection, only one designated visitor per patient is allowed at the ED. Visitors accompanying patients to the ED will have to register at the screening counter before entering.

Payment

Our ED attendance fee covers basic investigations and services. Non-standard services will incur additional charges. This attendance fee is not covered under MediSave.

Click here for Emergency Department Charges.

Improvement works around the ED

CGH is carrying out works to its hospital campus to expand capacity, enhance care facilities, and advance care to meet the healthcare needs of the community. CGH is actively working to ensure care continuity while the main campus evolves.

From 20 May 2026, parts of the CGH Emergency Department will be undergoing improvement works. During this period, some of our services around the Main Building will be relocated. CGH seeks the understanding and support of patients, visitors, staff and residents as it strives to minimise disruptions and inconveniences.

Please click below for the updated locations of our care facilities and walkways, or follow the updated wayfinding signage on site.

Map of Main Building Level 1

Non-emergency medical conditions

To ensure that patients receive timely care, the ED attends to urgent, critical or life-threatening symptoms. Patients with minor ailments or non-emergency concerns may need to wait longer for consultation.

For non-urgent or mild to moderate conditions, patients are encouraged to visit their nearest polyclinics or general practitioners (GPs), or see their #GPFirst.

Patients who are unsure of where to seek treatment may call the NurseFirst helpline (6262 6262). NurseFirst is a free service available from 8:00am to 11:00pm daily, where a trained nurse will advise on the appropriate treatment option based on symptoms.

Seeking the right treatment at the right place helps patients to receive care promptly, and allows the ED team to focus on patients with serious medical conditions.

Health Buddy

SingHealth’s Health Buddy app gives you direct access to health information and services at your convenience. It provides a database of conditions and health tips to help you better manage your health and well-being.

All patients are encouraged to verify and update their contact details on Health Buddy to facilitate contact and information sharing between our hospital staff and patients.