Emergency Department Patients Need Patience as Wait Times Increase
According to a recent study, the average waiting time in an emergency room in the U.S. increased from 38 minutes in 1997 to 47 minutes in 2004. Interestingly, there was no increase in the time doctors spent face to face with patients.
The National Center for Health Statistics attributes part of the increase to increases in patient population, but also emphasizes that patients are seeking care more often. The study reviewed over 1.1 billion patient visits to emergency departments, doctor's offices and outpatient medical centers in 2004.
The article, "Patients waiting longer to see the doctor", explaining the study, appeared in USA Today.
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