Median waiting time at hospital A&E departments rises to 7.2 hours

SINGAPORE: Local hospital emergency departments have seen an increase in patient numbers over the past two weeks, leading to longer wait times for admission. The median wait time has reportedly risen from about five to 7.2 hours, with some hospitals experiencing longer wait times than others.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) has attributed the increase in wait times to a rise in both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients.

In response to an inquiry from CNA, the Ministry of Health explained that when a patient is waiting for a hospital bed, the inpatient nursing team will investigate their condition and provide treatment in the emergency room. If the patient requires urgent care, the hospital may arrange for them to be operated on in the operating room or receive urgent care elsewhere in the hospital before a bed becomes available.

Data from MOH’s website shows that between the 9th and 15th of this month, the median waiting time at three local hospitals exceeded 24 hours, with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital having a waiting time closer to 30 hours on the 10th of the month.

However, by the end of the week, the median wait time across hospitals had dropped to between 2 hours and 12 hours.

The longer wait times highlight the challenges hospitals face due to the ongoing pandemic and the need for quality patient care. MOH urges the public to seek medical attention only when necessary and to consider seeking medical care at nearby polyclinics and general practitioner clinics for non-urgent medical needs.