By Alexander Nguyen, Calabasas Patch
During a medical emergency, minutes and seconds count. So it stands to reason that going to the nearest emergency room is the best choice to make. If your medical needs are not quite as life-threatening, however, the E.R. a few miles down the road might have a shorter wait time.
Screenshot of the ER Wait Watcher.
ProPublica’s new interactive “ER Wait Watchers ” online app lets you know the average wait time of nearby ERs before you are seen by a medical professional. So the next time your child has an unexpected bout of stomach flu, you would know that, on average, you would be seen more than an hour earlier at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center than at Valley Presbyterian Hospital.
The app is easy to use. Just plug in your ZIP code, and it will provide you with information about the hospitals near you and their emergency room wait time. The times listed are the average wait time and not the current wait time. The only way to know the current wait time for sure is to call the hospital.
ProPublica stresses the quality of care does not necessarily translate to shorter wait time. Some hospitals have longer wait time because it takes longer to care for those patients.
Read the full article by Alexander Nguyen from Calabasas Patch.
