- Pennsylvania is among the Top 10 states with the longest hospital emergency room wait times
- A local health network is weighing in on what's being done to shorten the amount of time patients are left waiting
- Maryland comes in at No. 1
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — If you head to a hospital emergency room in Pennsylvania, you may wait a while.
The state was ranked among the Top 10 with the longest ER wait times by a group called Injured in Florida, which is made up of personal injury attorneys.
Pennsylvania was tied with California for ninth place.
Injured in Florida said it combed through hospital data to see what average ER wait times looked like across the country.
“Timely access to care is crucial for ensuring the best-possible patient outcomes."Dr. David Burmeister, chair, Department of Emergency and Hospital Medicine, Lehigh Valley Health Network
Its list reports that people in Pennsylvania wait an average of three hours in the emergency department.
The data suggests the wait times are longer in the Keystone state because of limited health care options in rural areas of the state and the lack of physicians in those areas.
Maryland took the top spot with the longest ER wait time coming in at an average of four hours and two minutes.
View the full list here:
'More indicative of severity of illness'
Dr. David Burmeister, chairman of Lehigh Valley Health Network's department of emergency and hospital medicine, said, “Timely access to care is crucial for ensuring the best-possible patient outcomes.”
Burmeister said many health systems across the country, including LVHN, are experiencing an increased demand for care while also experiencing staffing challenges.
The issue was made worse by the coronavirus pandemic, he said.
"Patients at higher-level comprehensive academic medical centers, such as LVH–Cedar Crest, often require more complex and specialized care, which may also result in needing care for a longer period of time."Dr. David Burmeister, chairman of Lehigh Valley Health Network's department of emergency and hospital medicine,
Burmeister did not say how long the average wait time for emergency room patients is at LVHN, but broke down the process from when someone comes through the doors.
“Patients in LVHN emergency rooms are triaged based on the severity of their illness," he said. "The amount of time a patient waits to see a clinician in the emergency room depends on their severity of illness.
“Further, a longer length of care is more indicative of severity of illness rather than time to receive care."
For example, he said, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest is the region’s only Adult Level 1/Pediatric Level II Trauma Center/Burn Center.
"Patients at higher-level comprehensive academic medical centers, such as LVH–Cedar Crest, often require more complex and specialized care, which may also result in needing care for a longer period of time,” he said.
'Continuously taken steps'
Burmeister said the network always is looking for ways to cut down on the time patients spend waiting for care.
“We’ve continuously taken steps to improve emergency department, inpatient and outpatient efficiencies, including providing other appropriate noncritical care options for patients so they can still receive timely care."Dr. David Burmeister, chairman of Lehigh Valley Health Network's department of emergency and hospital medicine,
“We’ve continuously taken steps to improve emergency department, inpatient and outpatient efficiencies, including providing other appropriate noncritical care options for patients so they can still receive timely care," he said.
"These include but are not limited to expanded ExpressCare options and virtual care so our emergency departments are reserved for those who need them most.”
Burmeister said LVHN’s plans to open neighborhood hospitals will improve the issue. He said it will “provide patients the convenience of care closer to home while reducing ER volumes at our larger hospitals.”
He said there are other treatment options for people with minor injuries, including ExpressCare facilities and virtual visits. He said people with severe injuries should still go to the nearest emergency room.
Those at LVHN said often times they start some routine procedures, such as EKGs or bloodwork, even while the patients are in the waiting room.
