Average wait time in ED to see a physician in the U.S. 2017-2022

In 2022, emergency department (ED) visitors waited on average 35.7 minutes to see a physician, advanced practice registered nurse (APRN), or physician assistant in the United States. The median wait time was much lower at just 16 minutes. That means 50 percent of ED visits were seen to in less than 16 minutes. This significant difference between median and mean times comes from a small number of patients who experience much longer waits, skewing the average upward.

Pandemic impact on emergency department visits

The year 2020 saw notably shorter wait times, with a median of 11 minutes and a mean of 28.4 minutes. This decrease likely resulted from reduced emergency department visits during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, by 2021, wait times had rebounded to levels similar to those seen in 2019. Despite these fluctuations, the majority of emergency department visits were attended to within an hour in 2022, with 40 percent of patients waiting 15 minutes or less. While wait times are an important metric, the total time spent in emergency departments is also crucial. In 2022, most patients spent less than four hours in the emergency department, with 33 percent staying between two and four hours. 

Demographic disparities in ED utilization

Emergency department usage varies significantly across different demographic groups. In 2022, infants under one-year-old had the highest ED visit rate among all age groups, followed closely by adults 75 years and over. Notably, there are also substantial racial disparities in ED utilization. Non-Hispanic Black individuals had an ED visit rate which was double the rate of non-Hispanic White individuals. These disparities point to broader issues of healthcare access and socioeconomic factors influencing emergency care utilization.