On April 14, Jewish Hospital and St. Mary’s HealthCare (JHSMH) announced a new initiative to regularly update and publish wait times at the organization’s six Louisville area emergency rooms. JHSMH is the first healthcare network in the region to adopt this new technology.
Patients can now view updated wait times for six of the network’s emergency rooms by texting “ERWAIT” to 511511, visiting www.jhsmh.org or accessing the wait times feature available on the JHSMH mobile application. The posted ER wait time estimates will be updated every 15 minutes based on actual patient experience from the preceding two hours.
“We believe this new technology will help patients choose their best option for emergency care services in the community,” said Shelley Neal, vice president of ambulatory care for JHSMH.
The hospital network, which operates more ER locations than any healthcare system in the region, boasts an average wait time of less than 30 minutes. Emergency room wait time is measured as the average time from a patient’s arrival at the ER until the time the patient is seen by a board-certified ER physician.
“This service can be very beneficial for those with non-life threatening illnesses and help patients decide where they want to go for treatment,” said Dr. Brenden Wetherton, an emergency medical physician with JHSMH. “Whether you are seeking care for yourself, a child or an aging parent, knowing an approximate wait time can help make a trip to the ER a more positive experience for everyone.”
The feature is intended for use in non-life threatening situations only. Those patients with a medical emergency should call 9-1-1 or seek medical attention at the nearest emergency room immediately.
Estimated ER wait times will be posted for all JHSMH emergency locations, except their Shelbyville location. Those included are: Jewish Hospital, 200 Abraham Flexner Way; Jewish Hospital Medical Center East, 3920 Dutchmans Ln.; Jewish Hospital Medical Center Northeast, 2401 Terra Crossing Blvd.; Jewish Hospital Medical Center South, 1903 W Hebron Ln.; Jewish Hospital Medical Center Southwest, 9700 Stonestreet Rd.; and Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital, 1850 Bluegrass Ave.