Iowa median
2 hr
−28 min vs US US median is 2 hr 28 min
Under 2 hours
56 ERs
1 take 4 hours or more
Report: Maryland has the longest ER visits: 4 hr 1 min at the typical hospital (Oct 25, 2026)
Fastest to slowest ER wait times in Iowa, by hospital
Times are for patients treated and sent home, not admitted. The bar shows each ER against the slowest in the state; the tick marks the Iowa median.
How to read this list
Each time is the median for a full year, so half of visits were shorter and half longer. Busy hospitals treat sicker patients, so a longer time is not by itself a mark against a hospital. "Left before seen" is the share of patients who walked out before a clinician saw them. How this measure works.
Showing the 25 shortest of 112 hospitals
| # | Hospital | Median visit | Left before seen | ER volume | CMS rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compass Memorial HealthcareMarengo 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 55 min 1 hr 5 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 2 | Myrtue Medical CenterHarlan 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 1 min 59 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 3 | Jackson County Regional Health CenterMaquoketa 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 17 min 43 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 4 | Virginia Gay HospitalVinton 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 1 hr 19 min 41 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 5 | Grundy County Memorial HospitalGrundy Center 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 21 min 39 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 6 | Audubon County Memorial HospitalAudubon 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 24 min 36 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 7 | Palmer Lutheran Health CenterWest Union 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 1 hr 25 min 35 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 8 | Cass County Memorial HospitalAtlantic 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 1 hr 26 min 34 min faster | 0% | Low | |
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| 9 | Belmond Medical CenterBelmond 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 28 min 32 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 10 | Mitchell County Regional HealthOsage 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 29 min 31 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 11 | Buchanan County Health CenterIndependence 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 30 min 30 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 12 | Regional Health Services of Howard CountyCresco 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 1 hr 31 min 29 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 13 | Washington County HospitalWashington | 1 hr 31 min 29 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 14 | Henry County Health CenterMt Pleasant 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 31 min 29 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 15 | Guttenberg Municipal HospitalGuttenberg 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 36 min 24 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 16 | Davis County HospitalBloomfield 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 36 min 24 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 17 | Sartori Memorial HospitalCedar Falls 2% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 36 min 24 min faster | 2% | Low | Not rated |
| 18 | Decatur County HospitalLeon 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 37 min 23 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 19 | Veterans Memorial HospitalWaukon 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 37 min 23 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 20 | Hegg Memorial Health CenterRock Valley | 1 hr 38 min 22 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 21 | Kossuth Regional Health CenterAlgona 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 1 hr 39 min 21 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 22 | Humboldt County Memorial HospitalHumboldt | 1 hr 40 min 20 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 23 | Horn Memorial HospitalIda Grove 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 40 min 20 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 24 | Hansen Family HospitalIowa Falls 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 41 min 19 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 25 | Genesis Medical Center-DewittDe Witt 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 41 min 19 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
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| 26 | Greater Regional Medical CenterCreston 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 41 min 19 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 27 | Crawford County Memorial HospitalDenison 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 41 min 19 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 28 | Manning Regional Healthcare CenterManning | 1 hr 41 min 19 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 29 | Story County HospitalNevada 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 42 min 18 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 30 | Loring HospitalSac City 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 43 min 17 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 31 | Van Diest Medical CenterWebster City 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 1 hr 43 min 17 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 32 | Palo Alto County HospitalEmmetsburg 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 43 min 17 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 33 | Greene County Medical CenterJefferson 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 44 min 16 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 34 | Clarke County HospitalOsceola 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 1 hr 44 min 16 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 35 | Mercy Medical Center-DyersvilleDyersville 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 45 min 15 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 36 | CHI Health Missouri ValleyMissouri Valley 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 1 hr 45 min 15 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 37 | Avera Merrill Pioneer HospitalRock Rapids | 1 hr 45 min 15 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 38 | Lucas County Health CenterChariton 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 48 min 12 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 39 | Iowa Specialty Hospital - ClarionClarion 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 48 min 12 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 40 | George C Grape Community HospitalHamburg | 1 hr 48 min 12 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 41 | Avera Holy Family HealthEstherville 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 50 min 10 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 42 | Grinnell Regional Medical CenterGrinnell 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 52 min 8 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 43 | Montgomery County Memorial HospitalRed Oak 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 53 min 7 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 44 | Hancock County Memorial HospitalBritt 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 53 min 7 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 45 | Dallas County HospitalPerry 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 53 min 7 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 46 | Shenandoah Medical CenterShenandoah 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 54 min 6 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 47 | The Finley HospitalDubuque 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 54 min 6 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 48 | MercyOne Elkader Medical CenterElkader | 1 hr 54 min 6 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 49 | WinnmedDecorah 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 1 hr 54 min 6 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 50 | Madison County Memorial HospitalWinterset 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 55 min 5 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
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| 51 | Osceola Community HospitalSibley | 1 hr 55 min 5 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 52 | Jones Regional Medical CenterAnamosa ★ 4/5 CMS | 1 hr 56 min 4 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | |
| 53 | Keokuk County Health CenterSigourney 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 56 min 4 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 54 | Orange City Area Health SystemOrange City 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 57 min 3 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 55 | Jefferson County Health CenterFairfield 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 58 min 2 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 56 | Mercy Medical Center-New HamptonNew Hampton 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 59 min 1 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 57 | Pocahontas Community HospitalPocahontas | 2 hr At state median | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 58 | Guthrie County HospitalGuthrie Center 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr At state median | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 59 | Sioux Center Community Hospital & Health CenterSioux Center 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 1 min 1 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 60 | Boone County HospitalBoone 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 2 min 2 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 61 | Sanford Sheldon Medical CenterSheldon 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 3 min 3 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 62 | Mercy Medical Center-ClintonClinton 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 3 min 3 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 63 | Mercy Hospital of Franciscan Sisters-OelweinOelwein 1% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 3 min 3 min slower | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 64 | Monroe County HospitalAlbia 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 3 min 3 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 65 | Alegent Health Mercy HospitalCorning 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 4 min 4 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 66 | Lakes Regional HealthcareSpirit Lake 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 5 min 5 min slower | 1% | Low | |
| 67 | Stewart Memorial Community HospitalLake City 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 7 min 7 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 68 | Spencer Municipal HospitalSpencer 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 8 min 8 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 69 | Ringgold County HospitalMt Ayr 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 8 min 8 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 70 | Burgess Health CenterOnawa 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 10 min 10 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 71 | Mercy Medical Center-CentervilleCenterville 1% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 10 min 10 min slower | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 72 | Southeast Iowa Regional Medical CenterWest Burlington 1% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 12 min 12 min slower | 1% | High | |
| 73 | Community Memorial Hospital Medical CenterSumner 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 12 min 12 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 74 | St Anthony Regional Hospital & Nursing HomeCarroll ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 13 min 13 min slower | Not reported | Not reported | |
| 75 | Cherokee Regional Medical CenterCherokee 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 14 min 14 min slower | 0% | Low | |
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| 76 | Trinity MuscatineMuscatine 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 16 min 16 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 77 | Franklin General HospitalHampton 1% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 16 min 16 min slower | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 78 | Knoxville Hospital & ClinicsKnoxville 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 18 min 18 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 79 | Adair County Memorial HospitalGreenfield 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 20 min 20 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 80 | Mahaska Health PartnershipOskaloosa 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 21 min 21 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 81 | Mary Greeley Medical CenterAmes 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 26 min 26 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 82 | Van Buren County HospitalKeosauqua 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 26 min 26 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 83 | Regional Medical CenterManchester 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 27 min 27 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 84 | Mercy Medical Center - Cedar RapidsCedar Rapids 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 28 min 28 min slower | 1% | Very high | |
| 85 | Wayne County HospitalCorydon | 2 hr 29 min 29 min slower | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 86 | University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center DowntownIowa City 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 29 min 29 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 87 | Jennie Edmundson HospitalCouncil Bluffs 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 30 min 30 min slower | 3% | Medium | |
| 88 | Buena Vista Regional Medical CenterStorm Lake 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 32 min 32 min slower | 1% | Low | |
| 89 | Pella Regional Health CenterPella 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 32 min 32 min slower | 1% | Low | |
| 90 | Clarinda Regional Health CenterClarinda 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 33 min 33 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 91 | MercyOne Newton Medical CenterNewton 3% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 35 min 35 min slower | 3% | Low | |
| 92 | Waverly Health CenterWaverly 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 37 min 37 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 93 | Hawarden Community HospitalHawarden 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 38 min 38 min slower | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 94 | Marshalltown Medical & Surgical CenterMarshalltown 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 42 min 42 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 95 | Allen Memorial HospitalWaterloo 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 43 min 43 min slower | 3% | Medium | |
| 96 | Ottumwa Regional Health CenterOttumwa 4% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 46 min 46 min slower | 4% | Low | |
| 97 | St Lukes HospitalCedar Rapids 3% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 46 min 46 min slower | 3% | High | |
| 98 | Trinity Regional Medical CenterFort Dodge 5% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 47 min 47 min slower | 5% | Low | |
| 99 | Floyd County Medical CenterCharles City ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 48 min 48 min slower | Not reported | Not reported | |
| 100 | Floyd Valley HospitalLe Mars 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 49 min 49 min slower | 0% | Low | |
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| 101 | Alegent Health Mercy HospitalCouncil Bluffs 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 51 min 51 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 102 | Genesis Medical Center-DavenportDavenport 5% left before seen Very high volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 54 min 54 min slower | 5% | Very high | |
| 103 | St Lukes Regional Medical CenterSioux City 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 54 min 54 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 104 | Iowa Methodist Medical CenterDes Moines 7% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 2 min 1 hr 2 min slower | 7% | Very high | |
| 105 | Mercy Medical Center-North IowaMason City 4% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 13 min 1 hr 13 min slower | 4% | Medium | |
| 106 | MercyOne Siouxland Medical CenterSioux City 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 19 min 1 hr 19 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 107 | Broadlawns Medical CenterDes Moines 9% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 24 min 1 hr 24 min slower | 9% | Medium | |
| 108 | Mercy Medical Center-DubuqueDubuque 4% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 24 min 1 hr 24 min slower | 4% | Medium | |
| 109 | Trinity BettendorfBettendorf 7% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 25 min 1 hr 25 min slower | 7% | Medium | |
| 110 | University of Iowa Hospital & ClinicsIowa City 3% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 30 min 1 hr 30 min slower | 3% | High | |
| 111 | MercyOne Waterloo Medical CenterWaterloo 10% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 43 min 1 hr 43 min slower | 10% | Low | |
| 112 | Mercy Medical Center-Des MoinesDes Moines 4% left before seen Very high volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 4 hr 4 min 2 hr 4 min slower | 4% | Very high | |
No Iowa hospitals match that search. Try a city name, or .
ER wait times in Iowa's largest cities
Median visit time across the hospitals listed in each city. Open a city's page, or filter the list above.
| City | ERs | Median | Shortest in the city |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | 2 | 2 hr 37 min | Mercy Medical Center - Cedar Rapids · 2 hr 28 min |
| Dubuque | 2 | 2 hr 39 min | The Finley Hospital · 1 hr 54 min |
| Council Bluffs | 2 | 2 hr 40 min | Jennie Edmundson Hospital · 2 hr 30 min |
| Iowa City | 2 | 3 hr | University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Downtown · 2 hr 29 min |
| Sioux City | 2 | 3 hr 6 min | St Lukes Regional Medical Center · 2 hr 54 min |
| Waterloo | 2 | 3 hr 13 min | Allen Memorial Hospital · 2 hr 43 min |
| Des Moines | 3 | 3 hr 24 min | Iowa Methodist Medical Center · 3 hr 2 min |
Questions about Iowa ER wait times
Which Iowa ER has the shortest wait?
Compass Memorial Healthcare in Marengo, with a median visit of 55 min. Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan is next at 1 hr 1 min.
Which Iowa ER has the longest wait?
Mercy Medical Center-Des Moines, at 4 hr 4 min. The busiest emergency departments tend to have the longest visits because they treat more patients and more complex cases.
How long is the average ER visit in Iowa?
The median is 2 hr, 28 min shorter than the US median of 2 hr 28 min. 56 of 112 Iowa ERs come in under two hours and 1 take four hours or more.
Are these live wait times?
No. They are 12-month medians for patients who were treated and sent home, published by CMS. They show what is typical, not what is happening tonight. In an emergency, call 911.
Why are big hospitals slower?
Low-volume Iowa ERs have a median visit of 1 hr 54 min. High and very-high-volume ERs come in at 2 hr 54 min. Large hospitals see more patients and sicker ones, and many are trauma centers.
ER wait times in neighboring states
Cite this data
Journalists, researchers and site owners are welcome to quote and chart these figures. They are free to use under CC BY 4.0: please credit HospitalsInEachState.com and link to this page.
Source: CMS Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting, measure OP-18b (median time from ED arrival to departure for discharged patients), published July 2026. Updated when CMS publishes new data.
Hospitals with too few cases to report are not listed; they still have a page in the Iowa hospital directory. Campuses that CMS reports under one facility number appear once. Not affiliated with CMS.