Pennsylvania Emergency Room Wait Times Exceed National Average, Raising Concerns
New federal data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) indicates that Pennsylvania ranks ninth nationally for the longest typical emergency department visits. The average ER stay in Pennsylvania is three hours and six minutes, which is 24 minutes longer than the national median of two hours and 42 minutes. These figures measure the total time a patient spends in the emergency department, from arrival to departure, not just waiting room time. Across the state, ER stay durations vary significantly among hospitals. For instance, UPMC Somerset reported the longest overall median stay at three hours and 47 minutes, followed by UPMC Altoona at three hours and 34 minutes. Behavioral health patients and those requiring transfer to another facility often experience even longer stays, with some exceeding eight or even ten hours. 
