Nobody likes going to the hospital, let alone the emergency room. You're either hurt, sick, or miserable, and the last thing you want to be is victim to absurdly long wait times.

The website InjuredInFlorida.com conducted a study that looked at hospital wait times in all 50 states. You might be surprised to learn just how favorably Iowa ranked in this new study!

Photo Credit: Minerva Studio, Getty Stock
Photo Credit: Minerva Studio, Getty Stock
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A Brief Overview of the Study:

A spokesperson from InjuredInFlorida.com commented about the general findings of the study:

It’s fascinating to see that the states that appear in the ranking are not from one particular region, but instead, are slightly spread out across the nation – and it’s useful for these states to see the areas in which they are thriving, which in this case is treating patients as quickly as possible, to then identify the areas within their healthcare system which may need more attention.

 

For citizens of these states, the data undoubtedly offers some peace of mind knowing that their emergency room wait times are shorter than other states as well as the national average of 2 hours and 37 minutes.

Photo Credit: vadimguzhva, Getty Images
Photo Credit: vadimguzhva, Getty Images
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Iowa Hospitals Have Some of the Shortest Wait Times in the Country:

Iowa tied with Oklahoma for fourth place on the list of hospitals with the shortest wait times. Patients visiting Iowa hospitals, on average, have a wait time of 1 hour and 59 minutes. According to U.S. News, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is the top-ranked hospital in Iowa as well as being nationally ranked in two specialties and six children's specialties.

Iowa's 1 hour and 59 minute-wait time is just 11 minutes longer than #1 ranked North Dakota, whose hospitals have an average wait time of 1 hour and 48 minutes.

The State With the Longest Hospital Wait Time:

Photo Credit: saravuth-photohut, Getty Images
Photo Credit: saravuth-photohut, Getty Images
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According to InjuredInFlorida.com, Maryland was the most pitiful state when it came to hospital wait times. Patients spend average time of 4 hours and 2 minutes before seeing a professional. That's quite an indictment on their hospital system.

Here are the top 10 states with the shortest hospital wait times, per InjuredInFlorida.com.

  1. North Dakota, 1 hour and 48 minutes
  2. Nebraska and South Dakota, 1 hour and 55 minutes
  3. Hawaii, 1 hour and 56 minutes
  4. Iowa and Oklahoma, 1 hour and 59 minutes
  5. Kansas, 2 hours and 4 minutes
  6. Montana, 2 hours and 7 minutes
  7. Mississippi, 2 hours and 9 minutes
  8. Idaho and Louisiana, 2 hours and 12 minutes
  9. Arkansas and Minesota, 2 hours and 14 minutes
  10. Wyoming, 2 hours and 15 minutes

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