How do I find a doctor in San Diego who is accepting new patients?

In San Diego, finding a doctor starts with your insurance, not with a doctor. Most primary care runs through a few large health systems and the medical groups tied to them, and your plan decides which ones you can use. Two big changes in July 2026 matter for newcomers: Sharp took over Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, and Palomar Health joined UC San Diego Health to form Palomar UC San Diego Health.

What are the main health systems in San Diego?

Which San Diego hospital is ranked best?

We're not ranking hospitals ourselves. In U.S. News & World Report's 2026-27 Best Hospitals list (released August 4, 2026), UC San Diego Health ranked No. 1 in San Diego and No. 1 in California, according to Patch. The other San Diego-area hospitals on the list, in the order Patch gives them, were Scripps La Jolla, Sharp Memorial, Scripps Green, Scripps Mercy, Kaiser's San Diego and Zion centers, Scripps Encinitas, Sharp Chula Vista and Sharp Grossmont. A hospital ranking says little about whether a nearby primary care office has openings.

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Sharp

1. 1Sharp Memorial Hospital — Emergency and trauma center
2. 2Sharp Tri-City Medical Center — Sharp-run since July 2026

Scripps

1. 3Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla — Level I trauma center, 24/7

Kaiser Permanente

1. 4Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center — ER 24/7; urgent care 9 a.m.-9 p.m.
2. 5Kaiser Permanente Zion Medical Center — ER 24/7
3. 6Kaiser Permanente San Marcos Medical Center — ER 24/7

UC San Diego Health

1. 7UC San Diego Health East Campus — Emergency department

Rady Children's

1. 8Rady Children's Hospital — Pediatric ER, 1st floor main campus

Palomar UC San Diego Health

1. 9Palomar Medical Center Escondido — ER online check-in available
2. 10Palomar Medical Center Poway — Poway campus

Addresses from each system's website, checked Nov 3, 2026. Call 911 in an emergency.

See these on the full San Diego map

Should I go to urgent care or the ER in San Diego?

Kaiser's guidance is a useful rule for any system. Urgent care is for problems that need attention within 24 to 48 hours but aren't emergencies. The ER is for conditions where waiting could seriously harm you. If you think it's an emergency, call 911. Kaiser runs walk-in urgent care for adults and children from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily in La Mesa, Otay Mesa, Kearny Mesa and San Marcos. It notes that its Target clinics do not handle emergencies.

How do Medi-Cal and Covered California work in San Diego?

• —One application: Covered California says it and Medi-Cal share one application, and you're told which you qualify for. In San Diego County you can also apply on BenefitsCal, by mail, at a County Family Resource Center, or by calling 1-866-262-9881 or 2-1-1.
• —2027 open enrollment: Nov 1, 2026 to Jan 31, 2027. Choose a plan by Dec 31 for coverage starting Jan 1 (Covered California, Oct 30, 2026).
• —Subsidies changed: enhanced federal tax credits expired after 2025. California is spending $300 million on state subsidies for 2027 for incomes up to 200% of the poverty level ($31,920 for one person).
• —Moved here mid-year? Covered California says a major life change usually opens a 60-day special enrollment window. Check its Major Life Changes page to see whether a move counts for you.
• —Medi-Cal rule changes: DHCS lists a freeze on new full-scope enrollment for some adults based on immigration status (since Jan 1, 2026), work or activity requirements for some adults 19-64 (from Jan 1, 2027), and six-month renewals for that group (from March 1, 2027).