MAIN POINTS
Emergency physicians are committed to providing high-quality emergency care as quickly as possible to all patients.
A federal report last year found that patients who need to be seen in 1 to 14 minutes are being seen in twice that timeframe (37 minutes) (GAO, 2009).
An ambulance is diverted every minute in the United States, delaying care for critically ill patients.
The gridlock in emergency departments is caused by "boarding," not by too many patients with routine minor problems.
Everyone is only one step away from a medical emergency.
Why do patients wait in emergency departments?
Everyone who comes to an emergency department will be seen, regardless of the ability to pay or insurance status.
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