Wait-time methodology
How ERcost.com labels ER wait-time data
ER wait times can change quickly, and not every hospital publishes a current number. ERcost.com separates source types so patients can tell whether a wait value is current, patient-reported, historical, or unavailable.
Data sources
Hospital-published current waits
Some hospital websites publish current ER wait-time estimates. When ERcost finds one, the city page labels it as hospital-published and links back to the source when possible.
Patient-reported waits
Patients can share recent arrival and seen times. ERcost moderates reports before publication and labels them separately from hospital-published wait times.
CMS historical benchmarks
CMS emergency department measures are historical context, not live waits. ERcost uses them to show longer-term benchmarks such as median time spent in the emergency department.
No public current source found
Many ER locations do not publish a current wait-time number. ERcost keeps those facilities visible and labels them so patients can distinguish missing current data from a short wait.
What patients should keep in mind
A lobby can look quiet while ambulance arrivals, triage, staffing, and bed availability still affect how long people wait. Use ERcost.com as context, not as a promise that a facility will see you within a specific number of minutes.