Lifestyle | Just For Fun

Life or Death: The 10 States Where ER Wait Times Are Alarmingly High

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy for details.

At some point in our lives, a visit to the emergency room becomes inevitable. Based on recent data, these are the top 10 states where patients experience the longest waiting times before receiving care. It’s beneficial to be aware, especially if you reside in or plan to move to one of these states.

Maryland

Emergency room sign.
Photo credit: jetcityimage2 via DepositPhotos.

Maryland leads the nation in having the lengthiest ER wait times, with patients typically waiting for 4 hours and 2 minutes before leaving. This issue persists despite Maryland’s renowned medical facilities, such as Johns Hopkins Hospital, due to a significant nursing shortage, with 25% of hospital nursing positions remaining unfilled.

Rhode Island

rhode island.
Photo credit: mcdonojj via DepositPhotos.

Rhode Island takes the second spot, with an average ER wait time of 3 hours and 34 minutes, even though it has 19 hospitals serving a population of just over one million residents.

Massachusetts

Massachusetts.
Photo credit: 12019 via Canva.

Massachusetts ranks third, with an average ER wait time of 3 hours and 33 minutes. The state has grappled with hospital staff shortages, leading to a reliance on travel nurses and higher turnover rates.

Delaware

Emergency room image.
Photo credit: spotmatikphoto via DepositPhotos.

Delaware comes in fourth, with an average ER wait time of 3 hours and 30 minutes. The state faces not only extended wait times but also a lack of hospitals with a grade A rating for overall medical facility performance.

New York

Emergency room image with stretcher.
Photo credit: oneinchpunch via DepositPhotos.

New York secures the fifth position with an average ER wait time of 3 hours and 21 minutes. The state has several grade D hospitals and one grade F hospital, the lowest possible rating for hospital performance.

Arizona

Arizona.
Photo credit: 12019 from pixabay via Canva.

Arizona occupies the sixth position, with an average ER wait time of 3 hours and 13 minutes. Remarkably, the state allocates only $79 per person for public health, one of the lowest rates in the U.S.

New Jersey

NJ shore.
Photo credit: Chloe La France via Canva.

In seventh place is New Jersey, with patients waiting an average of 3 hours and 11 minutes in the ER. New Jersey’s hospitals are grappling with severe understaffing, and the state anticipates a shortage of 11,400 nurses by 2030.

Connecticut

CT.
Photo credit: Sanghwan Kim via Canva.

Connecticut holds the eighth place, with an average ER wait time of 3 hours and 2 minutes. Despite boasting five of the nation’s top hospitals, including Yale New Haven Hospital, Connecticut’s healthcare costs are among the highest in the country.

Pennsylvania & California

PA and CA.
Photo credit: Brett Sayles and Jessica Lewis via Canva.

Pennsylvania and California share the ninth position, with an average ER wait time of 3 hours. Pennsylvania’s rural communities face limited healthcare options due to physician shortages in rural hospitals. California has experienced a decline in the number of emergency departments over the past decade, while demand for medical assistance continues to grow.

Vermont

Vermont in fall.
Photo credit: donwhite84 via Canva.

Vermont closes the top ten with patients spending an average of 2 hours and 58 minutes in the ER.

When Doctors Refuse Care Based On Their Own Beliefs: Coming To An ER Near You

When Doctors Refuse Care Based On Their Own Beliefs: Coming To An ER Near You

Emergency room sign.
 Photo credit: ElasticComputeFarm via Canva.

In recent times, healthcare legislation has taken a thought-provoking turn with the emergence of ‘conscience’ bills. These bills grant medical providers significant legal protection when it comes to opting out of specific medical procedures and treatments based on their ethical, moral, or religious beliefs.

When Doctors Refuse Care Based On Their Own Beliefs: Coming To An ER Near You

6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For

Sheetz Store 1.
Photo credit: Sheetz.

We scoured the Internet to see what people had to say about gas station food. If you think the only things available are wrinkled hotdogs of indeterminate age, and day-glow slushies, we’ve got great, tasty news for you. Whether it ends up being part of a regular routine, or your only resource on a long car trip, we have the food info you need. Let’s look at 6 gas stations that folks can’t get enough of and see what they have for you to eat. Read 6 Gas Station Chains With Food So Good It’s Worth Driving Out Of Your Way For

18 of the World’s Deadliest Foods: How Many Are You Eating?

mushroom.
Photo credit: Totajla via Canva.

Whether you eat to live, or live to eat, let’s make sure you live to see another day! These are some of the world’s deadliest foods. They can bring on extreme symptoms, ranging from paralysis to seizures, choking and even death, so don’t go tucking these into your lunchbox. Click for 18 of the World’s Deadliest Foods: How Many Are You Eating?

10 Of The Worst Tasting Drinks People Pretend To Like

tops of soda cans.
Breakingpic via Canva.

Hold onto your taste buds, because we’re about to embark on a flavor-filled adventure through the realm of beverages! Sure, we all need water to survive, but let’s be real – drinks are so much more than just basic hydration. Recently, the question of which beverages people secretly think taste awful sparked a fiery debate. Boozy elixirs, non-alcoholic refreshments, and everything in between were thrown into the mix. Brace yourself as we unveil the truth behind the drinks we pretend to love. Get ready for a wild ride of taste revelations! Read 10 Of The Worst Tasting Drinks People Pretend To Like

12 Of The Worst Tasting Foods People Find Disgusting

woman disgusted at food.
Photo credit: nicoletaionescu via DepositPhotos.

Food. We all have foods we love, foods we cannot stand – and then there are the foods that have people deeply divided. While wandering about an online forum we came across a discussion about foods that people find disgusting.

READ: 12 Of The Worst Tasting Foods People Find Disgusting

You Might Also Be Interested To Read