Average wait time in ED to see a physician in the U.S. 2017-2021
In 2021, 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. Meanwhile, one percent (that is roughly 1,331 visits) of ED visits had waited four to six hours before being seen. In 2020, both mean and median wait times were noticeably shorter than other years in the recorded period.