Massachusetts ER Wait Times Now Average Over 3 Hours

It’s that time of year again. It’s time for flu, COVID, strep throat and a host of other infections that can send you to walk in centers or the emergency department.

Stacked on top of injuries and illnesses that can happen all year long, an emergency department visit can be a lengthy commitment. If you are in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, your wait time may be among the longest in America.

According to World Population Review, Massachusetts is near the top of the list, with the average emergency room wait time coming in at more than three hours. That is 189 minutes.

Rhode Island is not much better. The average wait time in a Rhode Island emergency room is 185 minutes, also more than three hours.

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Why Emergency Room Wait Times Feel So Brutal

A few weeks ago, both my son and I were feeling awful, so we went to the Southcoast Health Fairhaven Walk In Center. My son was having difficulty breathing. Masks were strongly encouraged, so the triage nurse suggested we wait in the car and said they would call us when it was time to be seen.

Does Waiting in Your Car Actually Help?

The wait was roughly two hours because they were so busy, but I cannot tell you what a difference it made to wait in the car. Instead of sitting in a stuffy, germ-filled waiting room, we both fell asleep while waiting and were awakened by the call to come in for the exam.

A Simple Idea Massachusetts Hospitals Should Consider

I was so happy with how it played out that I mentioned it when Southcoast called with a phone survey later that week. If wait times are averaging more than three hours in Massachusetts, it may be worth making car waiting a more common option in emergency departments when it is medically appropriate. Beyond comfort, it could also reduce the chance of picking up another illness in a crowded waiting room.