NJ ER shows wait times on billboards

April 13th, 2011 - 8:10 pm ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

New Jersey, April 13 (THAINDIAN NEWS) How long one would have to wait in the emergency room is a major concern for many patients and health officials alike. A hospital in New Jersey says they have become the first hospital in their area to show patients on average how long it would take them to see the doctor.

Bayonne Medical Center has installed two electronic billboards in various locations in the state. The billboards were unveiled on Tuesday and they are located at Jersey City’s Journal Square and New Jersey Turnpike near the Holland Tunnel. According to the details on the billboards, it takes an average of 30 minutes for a patient to see a doctor after walking through the doors of the hospital.

The trend is becoming very common among hospitals in the United States. Hospitals are expected to report their efficiency to the Medicare in 2012. According to officials, how long a person with an emergency waits in the hospital affects the chances of recovery. It is believed that advertising waiting times would help people who are not in critical conditions decide which hospitals to seek care.

The waiting time advertisement does not affect people who are in critical conditions because they are given a priority.

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