Updated ER Wait Time Now Available on Billboard

COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS (January 4, 2011) – Drive down Texas Avenue in South Bryan and you will likely see an eye-catching reminder of the College Station Medical Center’s ER commitment to patient satisfaction.

The Med has posted an electronic billboard that features an approximate wait time for emergency room patients.  It is part of the hospital’s 30-Minute ER Commitment campaign.

Updated via an automated RSS feed every 15 minutes, the posted ER wait time is a rolling average of the past two hours. 

“The billboard represents time from patient arrival until the patient is initially seen by a clinical professional,” said Tom Jackson, College Station Medical Center CEO.  “We are committed to keeping that time below 30 minutes for the convenience of our patients.”

Before undertaking its 30-Minute ER Commitment, the Med streamlined procedures in its Emergency Department and started tracking wait times.  Over the past 16 weeks, the average wait time has dropped to 14 minutes.

Patients coming to the ER are triaged upon their arrival and then seen by a clinical professional in an order based on the severity of their illness or injury.  Wait times may vary based on ER volume and the specific needs of patients.

The billboard is the latest addition to the Med’s 30-Minute ER Commitment campaign.  During the Texas A&M home football games, an average wait time was broadcast over scoreboards at Kyle Field.  Also, in early December, the Med rolled out an ambulance with a newly-designed exterior displaying the 30-Minute ER Commitment.

In January, the Med plans to offer a mobile phone app allowing users to access the latest ER wait time through their smart phones.