Maine residents are spending more time in the emergency department than patients in other states, according to a WGME report.
Patients in Maine wait an average of 25 minutes at a small hospital to more than 45 minutes at a busy, high-volume hospital before seeing a healthcare professional, compared to a nationwide average of 18 to 28 minutes, according to WGME's analysis of federal data.
Jeffrey Austin, vice president of government affairs and communications of the Maine Hospital Association, said Maine hospitals are struggling to manage the unscheduled workloads of EDs. Several Maine hospitals have closed, leaving fewer total ED beds, Mr. Austin added.
At Portland's Maine Medical Center, patients wait an average of 35 minutes in the ED before being seen, said Mike Baumann, MD, chief of emergency services at Maine Medical Center.
Maine Medical Center is planning a $500 million expansion to increase the hospital's inpatient beds, which will move patients out of the ED more quickly and reduce wait times.