Best Hours to Visit an Emergency Room (2024)

FAQs

What time is least busy at the ER? ›

Morning: Mornings are typically less busy in many ERs. This could be because many people are at work or school, and not as likely to get injured or fall ill. Afternoon: The pace starts to pick up in the afternoon. Many ERs report an increase in patient volume starting around noon and lasting into the early evening.

The best time to visit the ER is between 6 am and noon. There are two reasons for this advice. First, the hospitals are at full efficiency in the morning with the most staff. Second is that by mid-morning, doctor's offices and medical clinics are generally open, relieving pressure from the ERs.

Be specific: Describe your symptoms in detail. Instead of saying “I feel sick,” explain the specific symptoms you are experiencing, such as nausea, dizziness, or chest pain. This will help the medical staff understand the urgency of your situation. Use descriptive language: Paint a vivid picture of your symptoms.

The best time to go to the ER, according to 17,428 healthcare professionals. Patients receive the best care in the emergency room between 6 a.m. and noon, according to an exclusive poll of healthcare professionals around the world.

The least busy times at the ER are usually early in the morning, particularly between 3 a.m. and 9 a.m. Weekdays, specifically Tuesday and Wednesday, tend to be less busy compared to weekends.

In some ERs, the rush slows down late at night (like, say, 3 am), and people figure they'll just wait until then to come in, because the waiting room is empty. What they often don't realize, though, is that staff is much smaller during hours that are historically less busy.

Any sudden and severe pain is a signal to head to the ER. Sudden and severe pain anywhere in the body is a signal to head to the emergency room. Of most concern is any pain in the abdominal area or starting halfway down the back.

These are just a few of the health problems that are medical emergencies: Chest pain that won't go away, especially if it spreads to your arm or jaw. Sweating and vomiting. Shortness of breath or wheezing that won't go away.

How do you skip the line in the ER? ›

Call your primary care doctor before you head over

If your doctor thinks it's necessary, he or she may even be able to have you admitted directly into the hospital, avoiding the emergency room entirely. This is definitely one of the ways to make your next trip to the hospital easier.

This system allows patients with life-threatening problems to be seen first. In general, the triage system has five levels: Level 1 – Immediate: life threatening. Level 2 – Emergency: could become life threatening.

There's never a specific day that's the slowest. Anything could happen at anytime. Sunday's were usually the calmest though.

The average length of stay overall in an emergency room was 4.2 hours. For non-behavioral health conditions, around 30 percent of patients spent more than four hours in the emergency room.

ERs generally see a decline in patient visits during the early morning hours. Furthermore, weekends, in contrast to popular belief, also tend to be less crowded. If your condition is not life-threatening but still requires immediate medical attention, considering these off-peak hours might be beneficial.

Some of the Busiest Emergency Room Days Occur in the Summer

Studies show that ER visits increase during the summer, surging around holiday weekends like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day (Pew Research Center, 2019). Children represent a large portion of ER patients involved in this seasonal rise.

At all times, even when the ER isn't crowded or busy, we prioritize patients according to how serious their conditions are. After checking in at the Registration Desk, the triage nurse will check your condition. People with a life-threatening illness or injury (heart attack, stroke, etc.)