Allegheny Health Network releases wait-time tool for emergency rooms, urgent care centers

It’s now possible to know how long the wait will be at Allegheny Health Network emergency rooms and urgent care centers, the network announced Friday.

“Find Care Now” is available online at ahn.org and by desktop and mobile devices on MyChart.

Patients can use MyChart to to check in and enter basic demographic information while alerting a facility that they are on their way. Once patients mark themselves as on the way, Bing Maps gives directions to the facility.

If not admitted, patients can expect to spend between two and three hours at emergency rooms in the Pittsburgh area before being sent home, according to the “ER Inspector” service by ProPublica, a nonprofit news organization based in New York City.

AHN says it is the first health system in the Pittsburgh area to offer patients real-time wait times for all of its emergency and urgent care facilities.

“When patients are seeking emergency or urgent care, Find Care Now allows them to select the most convenient location with the shortest waiting time, helping them get the care they need as quickly as possible so they can resume their daily lives,” said Dr. Robert White, AHN’s chief medical information officer.

Patients who are critically ill, such as those who suspect they are having a heart attack or stroke, or who are having difficulty breathing, should always call 911 or proceed to the closest emergency department, White said.

Find Care Now can be accessed at ahn.org/findcarenow. MyChart users can also access Find Care Now by a dedicated link on the home page, mychart.ahn.org.

AHN offers full-service emergency departments at Allegheny General, West Penn, Forbes, Allegheny Valley, Jefferson and Canonsburg hospitals in the Pittsburgh area, and at Saint Vincent and Westfield Memorial hospitals in the Erie region.

Emergency departments are designed for major injuries and illnesses that require immediate medical attention, including chest pain, stroke symptoms, difficulty breathing, uncontrolled breathing, head injuries, severe burns, and broken bones.

Patients also will be able to use Find Care Now to access wait times at emergency departments at AHN’s four soon-to-open neighborhood hospitals in Hempfield (November), McCandless (December), Brentwood (January) and Harmar (fall 2020).

Urgent care centers are located in Braddock and Bellevue, and Saint Vincent East and West in Erie.

Urgent care is appropriate for conditions that should be treated within 24 hours but are not life-threatening, such as strains and sprains, broken fingers or toes, infections, seasonal allergies, minor cuts and burns, or dizziness.