ER Wait Times Now Displayed Online

Community Medical Center is committed to providing high quality emergency care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week to our community. Part of this commitment involves keeping our community informed. One specific way we are working to better inform people of our emergency care is through the regular publication of our average Emergency Department (ED) wait times on our website.  

The average wait time displayed on our website is a four-hour rolling average that is updated every 15 minutes. Patients are prioritized according to their presenting complaint – so the wait time can differ from what a patient experiences because anyone experiencing a medical emergency will be seen immediately. 

In June, we opened our new ER with all private rooms, specialized spaces for bariatric, pediatric and behavioral health patients, convenient parking and now a new wait time tool. Since the opening of our new ER this summer, we have been able to sustain our targeted wait times with our current average wait time for registration to medical screening exam at 18 minutes. 

In addition to having a new facility, we are pleased to be Western Montana's only accredited Chest Pain Center, and the hospital has achieved the nation's top distinction for patient safety with an "A" grade from The Leapfrog Group.

Our expectation is to continuously enhance the patient experience for the community members we serve. I hope you find this information helpful should you find yourself in the middle of a medical emergency.