Maryland’s alarming ER wait times prompt Prince George’s County health board meeting

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Introduction

Alarming emergency room (ER) wait times in Maryland have sparked a health board meeting in Prince George’s County. The meeting, which was held on July 13, 2023, was attended by health care providers, community leaders, and patients who have experienced long ER wait times.

According to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Maryland has the longest ER wait times in the nation. The average wait time in Maryland is 53 minutes, compared to the national average of 22 minutes. In Prince George’s County, the average wait time is even longer, at 65 minutes.

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There are a number of factors that contribute to long ER wait times in Maryland.

These include:

The state’s aging population, which is more likely to require ER care.
The lack of access to primary care, which forces people to go to the ER for non-emergency care.
The closure of rural hospitals, which has left some areas with limited access to ER care.

The long ER wait times have a number of consequences. Patients who wait for long periods of time may experience worse outcomes, such as increased risk of death or disability. They may also miss work or school, and incur financial hardship due to the cost of care.

Maryland's alarming ER — Maryland’s alarming ER

The health board meeting in Prince George’s County was an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the issue of long ER wait times and to develop solutions. Some of the proposals that were discussed include:

Expanding access to primary care.
Increasing the number of beds in ERs.
Creating a regional ER system that would allow patients to be transferred to less crowded ERs.

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The health board meeting was a productive first step in addressing the issue of long ER wait times in Prince George’s County. However, more work needs to be done to implement the solutions that were discussed. It is important to remember that long ER wait times are a symptom of a larger problem, and that addressing this issue will require a comprehensive approach.

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In addition to the proposals discussed at the health board meeting, there are a number of other things that can be done to address long ER wait times. These include:

Educating the public about when to go to the ER and when to seek care elsewhere.
Creating a system for triaging patients so that those with the most urgent needs are seen first.
Improving communication between ERs and other health care providers so that patients can be transferred to the appropriate setting as quickly as possible.

Long ER wait times are a serious problem, but they are not insurmountable. By working together, we can make sure that everyone has access to the care they need, when they need it.