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Emergency Room–Off-Peak Hours
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Knowing when to go to the ER could shorten your waiting time. Like all businesses, the ER has periods where it is “slammed” and hours where the wait time to see a physician is considerably shorter. Patients are becoming more savvy to these peak hours and adjusting their expectations accordingly. Peak ER hours are between noon and midnight. Because the ER is constantly reacting to uncontrollable outside influences (automobile accidents, heart attacks, etc.), the only way to determine peak hours is by averaging the wait times throughout the day. By doing this, national studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirm that the busiest hours in an ER last from noon until midnight. Knowing this, a patient entering the ER during peak hours with a nonurgent situation can expect to wait significantly longer than the average time. Local hospitals have improved the ER process by recruiting emergency room volunteers, but ultimately, knowing when to expect a longer wait can help ease patients’ frustrations most. During peak hours, it can take a nonurgent patient longer to see a doctor. Emergencies happen on their own schedule and ERs are designed to handle those uncertainties and still save lives. Unfortunately, that means during peak hours, a nonurgent patient often must wait while physicians see the most critical patients first. In general, nonurgent ER patients can expect to spend at least three hours in the ER. Experts recommend bringing a book or magazine to pass the time — particularly if you need to go to the ER in the afternoon or evening. Your wait time could be shorter, depending on the amount of traffic. Know what to do when you have an emergency situation. It is absolutely not recommended that patients attempt to self-diagnose or avoid the ER completely when they need care. Also, don’t delay going to the ER until after work or school. Not only could you prevent a bad situation from becomnig worse, you can avoid going to the ER during peak hours. If you feel you need to go to an ER, you should go immediately, regardless of the hour.
Published: March 16, 2006
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