Report: Massachusetts Has Third-longest ER Waiting Times in U.S.

AUSTIN, Texas — New data has revealed the U.S. states with the longest and shortest ER waiting times.

The research conducted by experts at Zinda Law Group analyzed the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data on the median time patients spent in emergency departments in each U.S. state from 2022 to 2023.

Maryland topped the list of U.S. states experiencing the longest ER times, with a median waiting time of 4.18 hours. In second place is Rhode Island, which has a median waiting time of 3.6 hours.

Following closely behind in third place is Massachusetts, with a median waiting time of 3.57 hours. This is 36% longer than the median ER waiting time across the U.S. of 2.62 hours.

The rest of the top 10 states in longest ER waiting times are Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, California, and North Carolina.

At the other end of the scale, the state with the quickest ER times is North Dakota, with a median waiting time of 1.8 hours. South Dakota and Nebraska tied for second, with a median ER waiting time of 1.9 hours.

“By analyzing ER waiting times, we can shed light on the efficiency of healthcare systems in different states,” a spokesperson for Zinda Law Group said. “The differences in waiting times may potentially indicate areas where improvements are needed to ensure timely and effective care for all patients.”