Kentucky median
2 hr 20 min
−8 min vs US US median is 2 hr 28 min
Under 2 hours
19 ERs
0 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 Kentucky, 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 Kentucky 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 82 hospitals
| # | Hospital | Median visit | Left before seen | ER volume | CMS rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arh Our Lady of the WayMartin 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 24 min 56 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 2 | McDowell Arh HospitalMcDowell 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 26 min 54 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 3 | Bluegrass Community HospitalVersailles 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 32 min 48 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 4 | Marshall County HospitalBenton 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 32 min 48 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 5 | Cumberland County HospitalBurkesville 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 33 min 47 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 6 | Casey County HospitalLiberty 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 34 min 46 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 7 | The James B Haggin Memorial HospitalHarrodsburg 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 39 min 41 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 8 | Breckinridge Memorial HospitalIrvington 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 1 hr 40 min 40 min faster | 1% | Low | |
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| 9 | Mary Breckinridge HospitalHyden 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 40 min 40 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 10 | Ephraim McDowell Fort Logan HospitalStanford 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 41 min 39 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 11 | St Elizabeth GrantWilliamstown 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 42 min 38 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 12 | Carroll County HospitalCarrollton | 1 hr 45 min 35 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 13 | Bourbon Community HospitalParis 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 45 min 35 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 14 | Livingston Hospital and HealthcareSalem 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 1 hr 46 min 34 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 15 | Ohio County HospitalHartford ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 47 min 33 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | |
| 16 | Methodist Hospital Union CountyMorganfield | 1 hr 52 min 28 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 17 | Tj Health ColumbiaColumbia 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 54 min 26 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 18 | Twin Lakes Regional Medical CenterLeitchfield 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 55 min 25 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 19 | Jewish Hospital - ShelbyvilleShelbyville 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 57 min 23 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 20 | Kentucky River Medical CenterJackson | 2 hr 3 min 17 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 21 | Saint Joseph BereaBerea 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 6 min 14 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 22 | Deaconess Henderson HospitalHenderson 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 7 min 13 min faster | 2% | Medium | |
| 23 | The Medical Center at RussellvilleRussellville 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 8 min 12 min faster | 2% | Low | |
| 24 | Saint Joseph HospitalLexington 1% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 8 min 12 min faster | 1% | High | |
| 25 | Morgan County Arh HospitalWest Liberty 0% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 8 min 12 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
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| 26 | Monroe County Medical CenterTompkinsville 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 2 hr 8 min 12 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 27 | Marcum and Wallace Memorial HospitalIrvine 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 8 min 12 min faster | 2% | Low | |
| 28 | AdventHealth ManchesterManchester 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 10 min 10 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 29 | Saint Joseph EastLexington 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 11 min 9 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 30 | Jackson Purchase Medical CenterMayfield 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 2 hr 12 min 8 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 31 | St Elizabeth Medical Center NorthCovington 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 12 min 8 min faster | 1% | Very high | |
| 32 | Pineville Community Health CenterPineville 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 2 hr 12 min 8 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 33 | Jane Todd Crawford HospitalGreensburg 1% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 14 min 6 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 34 | Saint Joseph Mount SterlingMt Sterling 0% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 14 min 6 min faster | 0% | Medium | |
| 35 | Rockcastle Regional Hospital & Respiratory Care CenterMt Vernon 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 17 min 3 min faster | 2% | Low | |
| 36 | Knox County HospitalBarbourville 2% left before seen Low volume | 2 hr 17 min 3 min faster | 2% | Low | Not rated |
| 37 | Baptist Hospital NortheastLa Grange 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 18 min 2 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 38 | Taylor Regional HospitalCampbellsville 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 18 min 2 min faster | 2% | Low | |
| 39 | UofL Health – Jewish HospitalLouisville 3% left before seen Very high volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 18 min 2 min faster | 3% | Very high | |
| 40 | Georgetown Community HospitalGeorgetown 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 19 min 1 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 41 | Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical CenterDanville 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 19 min 1 min faster | 2% | Medium | |
| 42 | Trigg County HospitalCadiz | 2 hr 21 min 1 min slower | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 43 | St Elizabeth Ft ThomasFort Thomas 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 24 min 4 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 44 | Greenview Regional HospitalBowling Green 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 28 min 8 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 45 | Muhlenberg Community HospitalGreenville 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 28 min 8 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 46 | Flaget Memorial Hospital (Member of Saint Joseph HBardstown 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 29 min 9 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 47 | Meadowview Regional Medical CenterMaysville 4% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 29 min 9 min slower | 4% | Low | |
| 48 | Spring View HospitalLebanon 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 34 min 14 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 49 | Blanchfield Ach (Ft Campbell)Fort Campbell 3% left before seen Medium volume | 2 hr 34 min 14 min slower | 3% | Medium | Not rated |
| 50 | Baptist Health RichmondRichmond 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 36 min 16 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
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| 51 | St Elizabeth FlorenceFlorence 1% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 38 min 18 min slower | 1% | High | |
| 52 | Murray-Calloway County HospitalMurray 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 39 min 19 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 53 | Whitesburg Arh HospitalWhitesburg 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 40 min 20 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 54 | Frankfort Regional Medical CenterFrankfort 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 43 min 23 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 55 | Three Rivers Medical CenterLouisa 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 44 min 24 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 56 | Paintsville Arh HospitalPaintsville 4% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 45 min 25 min slower | 4% | Low | |
| 57 | Middlesboro Appalachian Regional Healthcare HospitMiddlesboro 3% left before seen Low volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 2 hr 46 min 26 min slower | 3% | Low | |
| 58 | Jennie Stuart Medical CenterHopkinsville 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 2 hr 47 min 27 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 59 | Williamson Arh HospitalSouth Williamson 3% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 48 min 28 min slower | 3% | Low | |
| 60 | Harrison Memorial HospitalCynthiana 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 51 min 31 min slower | 0% | Low | |
| 61 | Lourdes HospitalPaducah 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 53 min 33 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 62 | Hazard Arh Regional Medical CenterHazard 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 54 min 34 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 63 | St Claire Regional Medical CenterMorehead 3% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 58 min 38 min slower | 3% | Low | |
| 64 | Clark Regional Medical CenterWinchester 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 59 min 39 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 65 | Lake Cumberland Regional HospitalSomerset 1% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 40 min slower | 1% | High | |
| 66 | Central Baptist HospitalLexington 0% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 3 min 43 min slower | 0% | Very high | |
| 67 | Hardin Memorial HospitalElizabethtown 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 3 min 43 min slower | 2% | Very high | |
| 68 | Western Baptist HospitalPaducah 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 4 min 44 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 69 | Saint Joseph Hospital LondonLondon 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 5 min 45 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 70 | Highlands Regional Medical CenterPrestonsburg 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 10 min 50 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 71 | Baptist Health Deaconess MadisonvilleMadisonville 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 10 min 50 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 72 | Baptist Hospital EastLouisville 1% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 11 min 51 min slower | 1% | High | |
| 73 | Norton HospitalsLouisville 3% left before seen Very high volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 12 min 52 min slower | 3% | Very high | |
| 74 | T J Samson Community HospitalGlasgow 4% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 14 min 54 min slower | 4% | Medium | |
| 75 | Harlan Appalachian Regional Healthcare HospitalHarlan 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 16 min 56 min slower | 2% | Low | |
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| 76 | University of Louisville HospitalLouisville 3% left before seen High volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 3 hr 18 min 58 min slower | 3% | High | |
| 77 | Baptist Regional Medical CenterCorbin 1% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 26 min 1 hr 6 min slower | 1% | High | |
| 78 | Owensboro Medical Health SystemOwensboro 4% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 28 min 1 hr 8 min slower | 4% | High | |
| 79 | The Medical Center at Bowling GreenBowling Green 3% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 35 min 1 hr 15 min slower | 3% | High | |
| 80 | University of Kentucky HospitalLexington 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 38 min 1 hr 18 min slower | 1% | Very high | |
| 81 | Pikeville Medical CenterPikeville 5% left before seen High volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 3 hr 46 min 1 hr 26 min slower | 5% | High | |
| 82 | King's Daughters' Medical CenterAshland 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 52 min 1 hr 32 min slower | 1% | Very high | |
No Kentucky hospitals match that search. Try a city name, or .
ER wait times in Kentucky'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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | 4 | 2 hr 37 min | Saint Joseph Hospital · 2 hr 8 min |
| Paducah | 2 | 2 hr 58 min | Lourdes Hospital · 2 hr 53 min |
| Bowling Green | 2 | 3 hr 2 min | Greenview Regional Hospital · 2 hr 28 min |
| Louisville | 4 | 3 hr 12 min | UofL Health – Jewish Hospital · 2 hr 18 min |
Questions about Kentucky ER wait times
Which Kentucky ER has the shortest wait?
Arh Our Lady of the Way in Martin, with a median visit of 1 hr 24 min. McDowell Arh Hospital in McDowell is next at 1 hr 26 min.
Which Kentucky ER has the longest wait?
King's Daughters' Medical Center, at 3 hr 52 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 Kentucky?
The median is 2 hr 20 min, 8 min shorter than the US median of 2 hr 28 min. 19 of 82 Kentucky ERs come in under two hours and 0 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 Kentucky ERs have a median visit of 2 hr 10 min. High and very-high-volume ERs come in at 3 hr 12 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 Kentucky hospital directory. Campuses that CMS reports under one facility number appear once. Not affiliated with CMS.