Every Minute Matters at Lower Keys Medical Center

10/17/2025

Shorter ER wait times help patients get the care they need, faster

When health emergencies happen, patients and their family members often turn to the emergency department for prompt medical attention. With thousands of patient encounters in the ER annually, Lower Keys Medical Center not only delivers medically necessary, life-saving patient care, it prioritizes short wait times, with a goal to connect every patient with a medical professional for timely assessment and treatment.

ER wait times can be an indicator of hospital efficiency and patient experience, and is one of the quality indicators measured for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings. While CMS measures the total time a patient spends in the ER, the first step at Lower Keys Medical Center is to be evaluated by a physician, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner.

“No one wants to spend hours waiting in the ER when they aren’t feeling well, and we are continuously evaluating and refining our processes, staffing and communications to get patients timely care,” said Tadd Mallard, R.N., director of emergency services at Lower Keys Medical Center. “We will always treat the most critical emergencies as soon as necessary, but our goal is for every patient to be seen in the shortest time possible.”

When considering whether to visit the emergency department, rather than an urgent care or primary care doctor, it’s important to remember that emergency departments typically treat life-threatening situations that need immediate attention in a hospital setting, such as heart attack symptoms, stroke symptoms, difficulty breathing, severe allergic reaction, and uncontrollable bleeding. Urgent care centers are an option when quick treatment is needed but it is not a medical emergency, such as sprains and strains, low-grade fever and mild flu or cold symptoms.

Mallard said that with the holidays approaching, Lower Keys Medical Center often experiences an uptick in ER visits. According to the American Heart Association, the risk of heart attack and stroke increases around the holidays, but people often ignore early warning signs rather than getting them checked out. Mallard says that is a mistake.

“Medical care is critical for patients experiencing symptoms of a heart attack or stroke,” said Mallard. “Prompt treatment not only saves lives, it can minimize long-term damage and complications. Our emergency department team is well-equipped to evaluate patients experiencing common symptoms and get them the care they need even during the busiest times of year.”

Lower Keys Medical Center is accredited by the American College of Cardiology as a Chest Pain Center and as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission, which reinforces that it follows the national standards of care for heart attack and stroke. Common heart attack symptoms include chest discomfort, discomfort in other areas of the upper body and shortness of breath. Stroke symptoms include face drooping, arm weakness, and speech difficulty. Anyone experiencing heart attack or stroke symptoms should call 9-1-1.

In 2024, Lower Keys Medical Center’s emergency department provided care at more than 23,000 patient visits.

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