Patients in Manchester are reporting significant delays at local emergency departments, with some waiting up to nine hours for care. One resident recently shared his experience after his father spent nine hours waiting for a bed at a medical center. These extended wait times reflect broader capacity issues within the healthcare system that health officials acknowledge are becoming common.
Data from NH HealthCost indicates that emergency department wait times in the region currently exceed the national average of two and a half hours. Medical professionals point to several factors causing this strain, including staffing shortages and patients seeking emergency care for non-emergency conditions that could be addressed by primary care providers or virtual visits.
Dr. Matt Dayno, a physician at the Elliot emergency department, notes that hospitals are often the last resort for those without other options. The situation is further complicated by a lack of available discharge locations, which keeps patients in hospital beds and prevents new arrivals from being admitted promptly.
In response to these challenges, local institutions are testing new models of care. Catholic Medical Center recently opened a freestanding emergency room in Nashua, which they describe as an important step toward reducing volume at traditional hospital emergency departments. Officials maintain that every patient is triaged upon arrival, with the most critical cases receiving priority treatment regardless of overall wait times.