Green Health & Wellness ER visit times: Here’s how long patients spend in emergency rooms in each state – GWC Mag gwcmagSeptember 18, 2023052 views Data released this summer from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated the average emergency room (ER) visit times for each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Patients in Washington, D.C. had the longest average visit — at 5 hours and 29 minutes. The shortest median visit was in North Dakota, where patients spent an average of 1 hour and 48 minutes in the ER. CITING RISING COVID CASES, THESE US HOSPITAL SYSTEMS HAVE NOW REINSTATED MASK MANDATES The data came from the CMS “Timely and Effective Care” measurements, collected between October 2021 and September 2022. They were released on July 26. Data released this summer from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicated the average emergency room visit times for each of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. There were some surprises. (iStock) The numbers included visits of children and adults whose care was covered by Medicare’s Inpatient Prospective Payment System or Outpatient Prospective Payment System. MISTREATMENT IN THE MATERNITY WARD? DOCTORS WEIGH IN ON A NEW CDC REPORT: ‘OVERSTRETCHED HEALTH SYSTEM’ Also included were visits from hospitals that chose to report visit information for Medicare patients, Medicare managed care patients and non-Medicare patients. The data came from the CMS “Timely and Effective Care” measurements, which were collected between October 2021 and September 2022 and were released this summer. (iStock) Below are the average visit times by state, from shortest to longest, as compiled by Becker’s Hospital Review: North Dakota — 1 hour and 48 minutes Nebraska — 1 hour and 55 minutes South Dakota — 1 hour and 55 minutes Hawaii — 1 hour and 56 minutes Iowa — 1 hour and 59 minutes Oklahoma — 1 hour and 59 minutes Kansas — 2 hours and 4 minutes Montana — 2 hours and 7 minutes Mississippi — 2 hours and 9 minutes Idaho — 2 hours and 12 minutes Louisiana — 2 hours and 12 minutes Arkansas — 2 hours and 14 minutes Minnesota — 2 hours and 14 minutes Wyoming — 2 hours and 15 minutes Utah — 2 hours and 17 minutes Indiana — 2 hours and 18 minutes Colorado — 2 hours and 21 minutes Alaska — 2 hours and 23 minutes Kentucky — 2 hours and 23 minutes Texas — 2 hours and 24 minutes Alabama — 2 hours and 25 minutes Wisconsin — 2 hours and 26 minutes Nevada — 2 hours and 27 minutes Washington — 2 hours and 27 minutes West Virginia — 2 hours and 33 minutes Missouri — 2 hours and 35 minutes Georgia — 2 hours and 37 minutes Ohio — 2 hours and 37 minutes Tennessee — 2 hours and 40 minutes Florida — 2 hours and 44 minutes New Hampshire — 2 hours and 44 minutes Maine — 2 hours and 45 minutes New Mexico — 2 hours and 46 minutes South Carolina — 2 hours and 48 minutes Oregon — 2 hours and 51 minutes Michigan — 2 hours and 52 minutes Virginia — 2 hours and 52 minutes Illinois — 2 hours and 54 minutes North Carolina — 2 hours and 54 minutes Vermont — 2 hours and 58 minutes California — 3 hours Pennsylvania — 3 hours Connecticut — 3 hours and 2 minutes New Jersey — 3 hours and 11 minutes Arizona — 3 hours and 13 minutes New York — 3 hours and 21 minutes Delaware — 3 hours and 30 minutes Massachusetts — 3 hours and 33 minutes Rhode Island — 3 hours and 34 minutes Maryland — 4 hours and 2 minutes District of Columbia — 5 hours and 29 minutes CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Median visit times have been on the rise amid staffing shortages and an increase in patient volume. Patients in Washington, D.C., had the longest average visit at 5 hours and 29 minutes, according to a new report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). (iStock) The average visit time nationwide is 160 minutes, up from 155 minutes as of September 2021 and 143 minutes in 2020, per CMS data. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Between 2011 and 2021, emergency department visits among patients less than 65 years old that were paid by Medicaid rose from 34% to 45.3%, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews/health Melissa Rudy is health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.