Minnesota, Dakotas' ERs among the fastest

Hospitals in five Upper Midwest states, including Minnesota, are among the country's fastest in getting patients in and out of emergency rooms, according to a recent report by a leading adviser to health care organizations.

The Emergency Department Pulse Report by South Bend, Ind.-based Press Ganey Associates analyzed the experiences of nearly 1.4 million patients treated at 1,725 emergency departments nationwide in 2008.

The reports found that South Dakota residents spent the least amount of time in the emergency department, averaging 2 hours and 52 minutes.

North Dakota and Iowa came in fifth place, with a wait of 3 hours, 6 minutes. Minnesota ranked eighth, at 3 hours, 12 minutes. Wisconsin came in ninth with a time of 3 hours, 19 minutes.

Patients who arrived in the emergency department between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. reported higher satisfaction than those who arrived in the evening or overnight hours, the report also found.