A text message shows the average wait time at Metro Health's emergency room this morning.WYOMING -- Patients thinking of going to the emergency room but worried about waiting for hours in a room filled with sick people can now get a good estimate of their wait time with a simple text message.
Metro Health's emergency room will send a text stating the average time it takes for patients to see a physician. Prospective patients can text the word "ER" to the SMS short code 40491. The emergency department will send back a text message to their cell phone or mobile device stating the average wait time for the past hour and for the past 24 hours.
The service is designed to reduce patient anxiety and improve care, said Helen Berghoef, director of emergency services.
“If your child has a high fever or a sprained limb, waiting in the ER is stressful,” she said. “Anything we can do to help relieve anxiety is good for patients and their loved ones.
"When patients and family members are less anxious, they are more receptive to care, more open to what providers tell them."
Berghoef said Metro's average wait time last month was 21 minutes; the monthly average typically ranges between 21 and 35 minutes. Generally, the wait is longer in the afternoon and shorter at nighttime.
"We're very efficient," she said. "We do have great processes in place to get a patient back to see a physician as quickly as possible."
But Berghoef said the text service is not a marketing tool.
"It's just one more piece of information that we can provide to families and patients about what to expect," she said. "We think that's going to help with their care process."
E-mail Sue Thoms: sthoms@grpress.com