Delaware is a small state with a layered hospital system. Three counties, a few large health systems and several specialty hospitals serve the whole state. This page lists 20 hospital records across eight Delaware cities, from Wilmington in the north to Seaford in the south. The notes below explain which kind of hospital fits your situation before you call or drive.

How Hospital Care Is Organized Across Delaware's Three Counties

Delaware is under 100 miles from top to bottom, yet its hospitals are not spread evenly. Care is built around health systems rather than single buildings. Christiana Care anchors the northern end of the state. Bayhealth operates in Dover and Milford. Beebe Medical Center serves the Lewes area, and Nanticoke Memorial Hospital serves Seaford and western Sussex.

The three counties look very different. New Castle County holds most of the population and most of our listings. Kent County is centered on Dover, the state capital. Sussex County is the largest by area, with farm towns inland and busy resort communities along the coast. A hospital may be a short drive away in Wilmington and a much longer one in rural Sussex.

Before you search, know that the same hospital sometimes appears under more than one name. Bayhealth Medical Center, Bayhealth Kent General Hospital and Bayhealth Medical Center - Kent General Hospital all point to 640 South State Street in Dover and the same main number, 302-674-4700. Christiana Care appears as a system listing with a post office box in Wilmington, plus separate entries for its Christiana and Wilmington hospitals. Use the street address when you need to drive somewhere.

Wilmington, Newark and New Castle: The Northern Hospital Cluster

Wilmington has the densest concentration of hospitals in the state, with eight of our listings. Christiana Care-Wilmington Hospital sits at 501 West 14th Street, and its listed number is 302-320-2229. Saint Francis Hospital is at 701 North Clayton Street (302-421-4100). Both are city hospitals that handle emergencies for downtown and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Children's care is concentrated here too. Alfred I. Dupont Hospital For Children, operated by Nemours, is at 1600 Rockland Road (302-651-4000). Nemours Children's Clinic at 910 Foulk Road (302-655-3242) is a clinic setting for scheduled visits, not a hospital emergency department. For a true emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Christiana Hospital, at 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road, carries a Newark address. It houses Delaware's Level I trauma center, so the most serious injuries are often directed there. The main Christiana Care number is 302-733-1000.

Other New Castle County facilities are more specialized. Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital Of Middletown, at 250 Hampden Road (302-464-3400), is an inpatient rehabilitation hospital that has since rebranded as Encompass Health. Delaware Psychiatric Center and Meadow Wood Behavioral Health System are both in the city of New Castle along the Dupont Highway. Rockford Center in Newark is another psychiatric hospital. Those are covered further below.

Dover, Milford, Lewes and Seaford: Hospital Access in Kent and Sussex

Farther south, the system is thinner. Dover is the hub for Kent County. Bayhealth Kent General Hospital at 640 South State Street is the main acute-care hospital in the capital. Dover Behavioral Health System, at 725 Horsepond Road (302-747-0140), provides psychiatric care. Those two facilities account for all four Kent County listings.

Sussex County has three listings. Bayhealth Milford Memorial Hospital sits at 21 West Clarke Avenue in Milford (302-422-3311). Milford straddles the Kent and Sussex line, and our database places this hospital in Sussex. Beebe Medical Center is at 424 Savannah Road in Lewes (302-645-3300). Nanticoke Memorial Hospital is at 801 Middleford Road in Seaford (302-629-6611).

Population changes the picture in Sussex. Beaches near Lewes draw large summer crowds, so traffic and emergency room waits can rise between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Western Sussex around Seaford is more rural, with longer drives and fewer specialists nearby. Learn your route to the nearest emergency room before you need it. Some specialty care may mean a trip north or across the state line into Maryland.

Transfers are normal in rural areas. A smaller hospital may stabilize you and then send you by ambulance to a larger center if you need a service it does not offer. That is routine and does not mean anything went wrong.

Who Licenses and Oversees Delaware Hospitals

Hospitals in Delaware are licensed by the Department of Health and Social Services, known as DHSS, through its Division of Health Care Quality. That division inspects facilities and takes complaints from patients and families. The Division of Public Health, also inside DHSS, handles disease reporting and emergency medical services planning. Major new construction or expansion typically goes through the Delaware Health Resources Board, which reviews projects under a Certificate of Public Review process.

Federal rules apply on top of state rules. Under the federal EMTALA law, any hospital with an emergency department must screen you and stabilize an emergency condition regardless of insurance or ability to pay. Hospitals must also post their prices online. The No Surprises Act protects you from many out-of-network bills for emergency care. Nonprofit hospitals must keep a financial assistance policy, so ask for it if a bill is more than you can pay.

If you have no insurance, ask the billing office about Delaware Medicaid, which is run by the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance, and about the hospital's own charity care program. Apply early, because coverage can sometimes reach recent bills.

For any hospital visit, bring the following:

Psychiatric, Rehabilitation and Veterans Hospitals in Delaware

Several listings are not general hospitals, and the difference affects how you get in. Delaware Psychiatric Center, at 1901 North Dupont Highway in New Castle (302-255-2700), is a state-run hospital overseen by the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health. It treats people with serious mental illness and generally admits patients through referral rather than walk-in, so call first.

Meadow Wood Behavioral Health System at 575 South Dupont Highway, Rockford Center at 100 Rockford Drive (302-996-5480) and Dover Behavioral Health System are private psychiatric hospitals. Admission usually follows an assessment, often arranged through an emergency room, a doctor or a crisis team. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911. For emotional crisis or suicidal thoughts, call or text 988 rather than driving to a specialty hospital.

Wilmington VA Medical Center, at 1601 Kirkwood Highway, serves veterans in Delaware and nearby areas. The toll-free number in our records is 800-461-8262. The Department of Veterans Affairs listing at the same address shows 302-994-2511. You generally need to enroll in VA health care before routine appointments, so bring your discharge papers when you apply.

Select Specialty Hospital Of Wilmington shares the 701 North Clayton Street address with Saint Francis Hospital. It is a long-term acute care hospital for patients who need weeks of hospital-level treatment, such as ventilator weaning or complex wound care. Admission usually comes by transfer from another hospital, not through the front door.

Hospitals across Delaware provide a full range of medical services from emergency and trauma care to specialized treatment programs, with public and nonprofit facilities playing a particularly important role in serving uninsured and rural populations throughout the state.

Hospitals locations are available in 8 cities across Delaware. They are spread across 3 counties.

Cities with the highest concentration include Wilmington, Dover, Newark, which serve as major medical centers with academic teaching hospitals, trauma centers, and specialized treatment facilities for the surrounding region.

Residents of Delaware should know their nearest emergency room location before a medical crisis occurs, and should check their insurance network to understand which hospitals in the state are covered under their plan.

Hospitals by Counties

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Residents of Delaware who face large hospital bills should ask about financial assistance programs before the bill goes to collections. Most hospitals are required to notify patients about charity care options, and applications can often be submitted months after a visit.

Browse Hospitals by county across Delaware to find the nearest location.

Making the Most of Delaware's Hospital Listings

Delaware's size works in your favor. Most residents live within a reasonable drive of a major hospital, and the three counties make the system easy to sort. Start with the county, then narrow by city. New Castle County offers the most choice, including children's, veterans', rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals. In Kent County, the Dover campuses are the center of care. In Sussex County, compare Milford, Lewes and Seaford by distance from home.

Before you go, call the listed number to confirm the address, visiting rules and whether the department you need is open. Emergency rooms run around the clock, but outpatient clinics such as Nemours Children's Clinic on Foulk Road keep office hours. Meadow Wood Behavioral Health System and Select Specialty Hospital Of Wilmington show no phone number in our records. For those, ask for the main switchboard of the hospital or its parent health system.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hospitals in Delaware

Christiana Hospital, at 4755 Ogletown-Stanton Road near Newark, is Delaware's Level I trauma center. That designation means trauma surgeons and specialty teams are available around the clock for the most severe injuries. If someone is seriously hurt, call 911 instead of driving. Paramedics decide where to take the patient based on the injury and the distance. The main Christiana Care number in our records is 302-733-1000, which suits general questions but is not a substitute for emergency services.

Dover has four listings, but they represent two facilities. Bayhealth Kent General Hospital at 640 South State Street appears three times under slightly different names, all with the main number 302-674-4700. Dover Behavioral Health System at 725 Horsepond Road (302-747-0140) is a separate psychiatric hospital. Kent General handles emergencies, surgery and inpatient medical care in the capital. Call the behavioral health facility directly to ask about an assessment, and call or text 988 if you or someone you know is in crisis.

Three hospitals appear in our Sussex County records. Beebe Medical Center, at 424 Savannah Road in Lewes (302-645-3300), is closest to the Lewes and Rehoboth Beach area. Bayhealth Milford Memorial Hospital, at 21 West Clarke Avenue in Milford (302-422-3311), serves the northern part of the county. Nanticoke Memorial Hospital, at 801 Middleford Road in Seaford (302-629-6611), covers the west. Summer traffic can slow drivers and ambulances alike, so allow extra time and call 911 for anything urgent.

For a life-threatening problem such as trouble breathing, a seizure or a serious injury, call 911. Alfred I. Dupont Hospital For Children at 1600 Rockland Road in Wilmington (302-651-4000) is the state's dedicated children's hospital and has a pediatric emergency department. Nemours Children's Clinic at 910 Foulk Road (302-655-3242) is for scheduled, non-emergency visits. Outside the Wilmington area, any hospital emergency department must evaluate your child and can arrange a transfer to the children's hospital if needed.

The medical center is at 1601 Kirkwood Highway in Wilmington. Most veterans must enroll in VA health care first, online, by phone or in person. Bring your discharge papers, such as a DD-214, and a photo ID. The toll-free number in our records is 800-461-8262, and the Department of Veterans Affairs listing at the same address shows 302-994-2511. In an emergency, go to the nearest hospital. The VA asks to be notified within 72 hours of community emergency care.

Start by asking the billing office for its financial assistance policy and an itemized bill. Nonprofit hospitals must have such a policy, and many reduce charges based on income. Check whether you qualify for Delaware Medicaid through the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance, since coverage can sometimes reach recent bills. Federal law requires hospitals to screen and stabilize emergencies regardless of payment, and the No Surprises Act limits many surprise out-of-network charges. Ask for a payment plan before any account goes to collections.

Start with the hospital's patient relations or patient advocate office, which can often resolve billing and care concerns quickly. If the problem involves safety, quality of care or patient rights, you can also contact the Division of Health Care Quality within the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, which licenses and inspects hospitals. Write down dates, names and what happened, and keep copies of bills and records. Accredited hospitals also have complaint channels through groups such as The Joint Commission.