North Carolina ER wait times by hospital
How long a typical emergency room visit lasts at 96 North Carolina hospitals, from arrival to going home, ranked shortest to longest.
In an emergency, call 911. These are yearly medians, not live wait times. Don't pick an ER from this list when someone needs help now.
North Carolina median
3 hr 7 min
+39 min vs US US median is 2 hr 28 min
Under 2 hours
7 ERs
8 take 4 hours or more
North Carolina emergency rooms ranked by median visit time
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 North Carolina 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 96 hospitals
| # | Hospital | Median visit | Left before seen | ER volume | CMS rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dlp Swain County HospitalBryson City 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 21 min 1 hr 46 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 2 | Transylvania Regional HospitalBrevard 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 1 hr 38 min 1 hr 29 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 3 | Firsthealth Montgomery Memorial HospTroy | 1 hr 39 min 1 hr 28 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 4 | Highlands Cashiers HospitalHighlands 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 44 min 1 hr 23 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 5 | Charles a Cannon Jr Memorial HospitalLinville 0% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 52 min 1 hr 15 min faster | 0% | Low | Not rated |
| 6 | Blue Ridge Regional HospitalSpruce Pine 0% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 1 hr 55 min 1 hr 12 min faster | 0% | Low | |
| 7 | Anson Community HospitalWadesboro 1% left before seen Low volume | 1 hr 58 min 1 hr 9 min faster | 1% | Low | Not rated |
| 8 | Angel Medical CenterFranklin 0% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 1 hr 7 min faster | 0% | Medium | |
| 9 | J Arthur Dosher Memorial HospitalSouthport 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 2 min 1 hr 5 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 10 | Sampson Regional Medical CenterClinton 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 7 min 1 hr faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 11 | Carolinas Medical Center-UnionMonroe 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 12 min 55 min faster | 1% | Very high | |
| 12 | Advent Health PolkColumbus ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 16 min 51 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | |
| 13 | Roanoke Chowan HospitalAhoskie 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 20 min 47 min faster | 2% | Medium | |
| 14 | The McDowell HospitalMarion 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 24 min 43 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 15 | W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center (Salsbury)Salisbury 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 24 min 43 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 16 | Rutherford HospitalRutherfordton 0% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 24 min 43 min faster | 0% | Medium | |
| 17 | Stanly Regional Medical CenterAlbemarle 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 24 min 43 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 18 | Albemarle Hospital AuthorityElizabeth City 3% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 28 min 39 min faster | 3% | High | |
| 19 | Carolinas Med Ctr-UniversityCharlotte 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 28 min 39 min faster | 2% | Very high | |
| 20 | Lexington Memorial HospitalLexington 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 34 min 33 min faster | 2% | Medium | |
| 21 | Margaret R Pardee Memorial HospitalHendersonville 5% left before seen Medium volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 38 min 29 min faster | 5% | Medium | |
| 22 | Atrium Health PinevilleCharlotte 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 40 min 27 min faster | 2% | Very high | |
| 23 | Cleveland Regional Medical CenterShelby 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 40 min 27 min faster | 2% | Very high | |
| 24 | Presbyterian HospitalCharlotte 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 42 min 25 min faster | 2% | Very high | |
| 25 | Memorial Mission Hospital and Asheville Surgery CeAsheville 0% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 43 min 24 min faster | 0% | Very high | |
| 26 | Wilkes Regional Medical CenterNorth Wilkesboro 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 44 min 23 min faster | 3% | Medium | |
| 27 | Chowan HospitalEdenton 1% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 44 min 23 min faster | 1% | Low | |
| 28 | Adventhealth HendersonvilleFletcher 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 2 hr 44 min 23 min faster | 1% | Medium | |
| 29 | Bertie Memorial HospitalWindsor 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 46 min 21 min faster | 2% | Low | |
| 30 | Womack AMC (Ft Bragg)Fort Bragg | 2 hr 46 min 21 min faster | Not reported | Not reported | Not rated |
| 31 | Hugh Chatham Memorial HospitalElkin 0% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 48 min 19 min faster | 0% | Medium | |
| 32 | Maria Parham HospitalHenderson 2% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 48 min 19 min faster | 2% | High | |
| 33 | Duplin General HospitalKenansville 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 50 min 17 min faster | 3% | Medium | |
| 34 | Central Carolina HospitalSanford 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 52 min 15 min faster | 3% | Medium | |
| 35 | Grace HospitalMorganton 3% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 53 min 14 min faster | 3% | High | |
| 36 | Frye Regional Medical CenterHickory 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 2 hr 54 min 13 min faster | 2% | Medium | |
| 37 | C J Harris Community HospitalSylva 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 54 min 13 min faster | 3% | Medium | |
| 38 | Thomasville Medical CenterThomasville 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 56 min 11 min faster | 2% | Medium | |
| 39 | Carolinas Medical Center-LincolnLincolnton 3% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 57 min 10 min faster | 3% | High | |
| 40 | Erlanger Murphy Medical CenterMurphy 3% left before seen Low volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 2 hr 57 min 10 min faster | 3% | Low | |
| 41 | Columbus Regional Healthcare SystemWhiteville 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 2 hr 57 min 10 min faster | 3% | Medium | |
| 42 | Ashe Memorial HospitalJefferson 3% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 2 hr 58 min 9 min faster | 3% | Low | |
| 43 | Brunswick Community HospitalSupply 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 1 min 6 min faster | 2% | Medium | |
| 44 | North Carolina Baptist HospitalWinston-Salem 4% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 3 min 4 min faster | 4% | Very high | |
| 45 | Iredell Memorial HospitalStatesville 2% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 6 min 1 min faster | 2% | High | |
| 46 | Carolinas Medical Center-NortheastConcord 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 6 min 1 min faster | 1% | Very high | |
| 47 | UNC RockinghamEden 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 7 min At state median | 2% | Medium | |
| 48 | Onslow Memorial HospitalJacksonville 4% left before seen High volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 3 hr 7 min At state median | 4% | High | |
| 49 | Johnston Memorial HospitalSmithfield 4% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 7 min At state median | 4% | Very high | |
| 50 | Lake Norman Regional Medical CenterMooresville 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 3 hr 10 min 3 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 51 | Wayne Memorial HospitalGoldsboro 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 10 min 3 min slower | 2% | Very high | |
| 52 | Novant Health Mint Hill Medical CenterCharlotte 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 3 hr 10 min 3 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 53 | Granville Medical CenterOxford 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 11 min 4 min slower | 3% | Medium | |
| 54 | Wilson Medical CenterWilson 5% left before seen Medium volume ★ 1/5 CMS | 3 hr 11 min 4 min slower | 5% | Medium | |
| 55 | Novant Health Ballantyne Medical CenterCharlotte 2% left before seen Low volume | 3 hr 12 min 5 min slower | 2% | Low | Not rated |
| 56 | Caromont Regional Medical CenterGastonia 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 12 min 5 min slower | 1% | Very high | |
| 57 | Watauga Medical CenterBoone 1% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 12 min 5 min slower | 1% | Medium | |
| 58 | Person Memorial HospitalRoxboro 2% left before seen Low volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 12 min 5 min slower | 2% | Low | |
| 59 | Northern Hospital of Surry CountyMt Airy 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 12 min 5 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 60 | Haywood Regional Medical CenterClyde 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 13 min 6 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 61 | Cape Fear Valley-Bladen County HospitalElizabethtown 5% left before seen Low volume | 3 hr 13 min 6 min slower | 5% | Low | Not rated |
| 62 | Lenoir Memorial HospitalKinston 1% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 14 min 7 min slower | 1% | High | |
| 63 | Scotland Memorial HospitalLaurinburg 4% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 15 min 8 min slower | 4% | High | |
| 64 | Carolinas Medical Center/Behav HealthCharlotte 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 16 min 9 min slower | 2% | Very high | |
| 65 | Wakemed, Cary HospitalCary 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 3 hr 16 min 9 min slower | 2% | Very high | |
| 66 | Nash General HospitalRocky Mount 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 20 min 13 min slower | 2% | Very high | |
| 67 | NMC Camp LejeuneCamp Lejeune 3% left before seen High volume | 3 hr 21 min 14 min slower | 3% | High | Not rated |
| 68 | Firsthealth Moore Regional HospitalPinehurst 4% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 21 min 14 min slower | 4% | Very high | |
| 69 | Rex HospitalRaleigh 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 3 hr 22 min 15 min slower | 1% | Very high | |
| 70 | Presbyterian Hospital HuntersvilleHuntersville 3% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 24 min 17 min slower | 3% | High | |
| 71 | New Hanover Regional Medical CenterWilmington 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 24 min 17 min slower | 2% | Very high | |
| 72 | Wakemed, Raleigh CampusRaleigh 3% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 24 min 17 min slower | 3% | Very high | |
| 73 | Cape Fear Valley Hoke HospitalRaeford 3% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 25 min 18 min slower | 3% | High | |
| 74 | Caldwell Memorial HospitalLenoir 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 25 min 18 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 75 | Rowan Regional Medical CenterSalisbury 1% left before seen High volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 25 min 18 min slower | 1% | High | |
| 76 | Forsyth Memorial HospitalWinston-Salem 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 26 min 19 min slower | 1% | Very high | |
| 77 | The Outer Banks HospitalNags Head 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 28 min 21 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 78 | Betsy Johnson Regional HospitalDunn 5% left before seen High volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 30 min 23 min slower | 5% | High | |
| 79 | ECU Health North HospitalRoanoke Rapids 3% left before seen Medium volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 32 min 25 min slower | 3% | Medium | |
| 80 | Cape Fear Valley Medical CenterFayetteville 1% left before seen Very high volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 36 min 29 min slower | 1% | Very high | |
| 81 | Carolina East Medical CenterNew Bern 2% left before seen Very high volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 36 min 29 min slower | 2% | Very high | |
| 82 | Randolph HospitalAsheboro 6% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 36 min 29 min slower | 6% | Medium | |
| 83 | Chatham HospitalSiler City ★ 4/5 CMS | 3 hr 42 min 35 min slower | Not reported | Not reported | |
| 84 | The Moses H Cone Memorial HospitalGreensboro 3% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 44 min 37 min slower | 3% | Very high | |
| 85 | Carteret General HospitalMorehead City 2% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 45 min 38 min slower | 2% | High | |
| 86 | Alamance Regional Medical CenterBurlington 4% left before seen Very high volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 48 min 41 min slower | 4% | Very high | |
| 87 | Catawba Valley Medical CenterHickory 5% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 3 hr 48 min 41 min slower | 5% | High | |
| 88 | Vidant Edgecombe HospitalTarboro 4% left before seen Medium volume ★ 3/5 CMS | 3 hr 59 min 52 min slower | 4% | Medium | |
| 89 | Durham VA Medical CenterDurham 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 4/5 CMS | 4 hr 53 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 90 | Presbyterian Hospital MatthewsMatthews 2% left before seen Medium volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 4 hr 4 min 57 min slower | 2% | Medium | |
| 91 | High Point Regional HospitalHigh Point 2% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 4 hr 7 min 1 hr slower | 2% | High | |
| 92 | Southeastern Regional Medical CenterLumberton 2% left before seen High volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 4 hr 8 min 1 hr 1 min slower | 2% | High | |
| 93 | Duke Regional HospitalDurham 3% left before seen Very high volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 4 hr 15 min 1 hr 8 min slower | 3% | Very high | |
| 94 | UNC HospitalsChapel Hill 4% left before seen Very high volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 4 hr 28 min 1 hr 21 min slower | 4% | Very high | |
| 95 | ECU Health Medical CenterGreenville 3% left before seen Very high volume ★ 2/5 CMS | 4 hr 49 min 1 hr 42 min slower | 3% | Very high | |
| 96 | Duke University HospitalDurham 5% left before seen Very high volume ★ 5/5 CMS | 5 hr 17 min 2 hr 10 min slower | 5% | Very high |
No North Carolina hospitals match that search. Try a city name, or .
ER wait times in North Carolina's largest cities
Median visit time across the hospitals listed in each city. Pick a city to filter the list above.
| City | ERs | Median | Shortest in the city |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 hr 54 min | W.G. (Bill) Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center (Salsbury) · 2 hr 24 min | |
| 6 | 2 hr 56 min | Carolinas Med Ctr-University · 2 hr 28 min | |
| 2 | 3 hr 14 min | North Carolina Baptist Hospital · 3 hr 3 min | |
| 2 | 3 hr 21 min | Frye Regional Medical Center · 2 hr 54 min | |
| 2 | 3 hr 23 min | Rex Hospital · 3 hr 22 min | |
| 3 | 4 hr 15 min | Durham VA Medical Center · 4 hr |
Questions about North Carolina ER wait times
Which North Carolina ER has the shortest wait?
Dlp Swain County Hospital in Bryson City, with a median visit of 1 hr 21 min. Transylvania Regional Hospital in Brevard is next at 1 hr 38 min.
Which North Carolina ER has the longest wait?
Duke University Hospital, at 5 hr 17 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 North Carolina?
The median is 3 hr 7 min, 39 min longer than the US median of 2 hr 28 min. 7 of 96 North Carolina ERs come in under two hours and 8 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 North Carolina ERs have a median visit of 2 hr 24 min. High and very-high-volume ERs come in at 3 hr 20 min. Large hospitals see more patients and sicker ones, and many are trauma centers.
ER wait times in neighboring states
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 North Carolina hospital directory. Campuses that CMS reports under one facility number appear once. Not affiliated with CMS.