ER Wait Times in Virginia: 79 Hospitals Compared
79 hospitals in Virginia report how long their emergency room patients stay. The middle value here is 162 minutes; national (Medicare): 162 minutes.
What this time means
Each hospital’s number is Medicare measure OP-18b: the median (middle) time from arriving at the emergency room to leaving it, for patients who were treated and went home. Half of these patients left sooner, half later. It is not the time before seeing a doctor, and it leaves out patients who were admitted to the hospital, transferred, or seen for mental health.
Medicare’s name for the measure: “Average (median) time patients spent in the emergency department before leaving from the visit, excluding patients transferred to another facility or psychiatric care/mental health patients. A lower number of minutes is better”. Patients seen October 2024 to September 2025.
Emergency rooms in Virginia, shortest time first
Ranked by Medicare's median time (OP-18b), shortest first; hospitals with the same time share a rank. Left without being seen: share of ER patients who left before a doctor or nurse saw them (January 2024 to December 2024; national 2%). ER volume: patients per year, as Medicare groups it.
| # | Hospital | City | Median time in the ER | Left without being seen | ER volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dickenson Community Hospital | Clintwood | 109 min (1 h 49 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 1 | Lee County Community Hospital | Pennington Gap | 109 min (1 h 49 min) | 0% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 3 | Bon Secours Richmond Community Hospital | Richmond | 111 min (1 h 51 min) | 2% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 4 | Lewisgale Hospital Alleghany | Low Moor | 112 min (1 h 52 min) | 0% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 5 | Page Memorial Hospital, Inc | Luray | 113 min (1 h 53 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 6 | Bon Secours Southern Virginia Medical Center | Emporia | 119 min (1 h 59 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 7 | Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center | Fredericksburg | 120 min (2 h) | 1% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 8 | Stonesprings Hospital Center | Dulles | 121 min (2 h 1 min) | 0% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 9 | Lewisgale Medical Center | Salem | 122 min (2 h 2 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 10 | Lewisgale Hospital Montgomery | Blacksburg | 124 min (2 h 4 min) | 0% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 11 | Lewisgale Hospital Pulaski | Pulaski | 125 min (2 h 5 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 11 | Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital | Virginia Beach | 125 min (2 h 5 min) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 13 | Bon Secours St Francis Medical Center | Midlothian | 128 min (2 h 8 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 14 | Russell County Hospital | Lebanon | 130 min (2 h 10 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 15 | Lonesome Pine Hospital | Big Stone Gap | 131 min (2 h 11 min) | 0% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 16 | John Randolph Medical Center | Hopewell | 132 min (2 h 12 min) | 2% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 16 | Reston Hospital Center | Reston | 132 min (2 h 12 min) | 1% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 16 | Riverside Walter Reed Hospital | Gloucester | 132 min (2 h 12 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 19 | Sentara Careplex Hospital | Hampton | 134 min (2 h 14 min) | 4% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 19 | Shenandoah Memorial Hospital | Woodstock | 134 min (2 h 14 min) | 2% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 21 | Bon Secours Southside Medical Center | Petersburg | 137 min (2 h 17 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 21 | Rappahannock General Hospital | Kilmarnock | 137 min (2 h 17 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 23 | Carilion Giles Community Hospital | Pearisburg | 138 min (2 h 18 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 24 | Carilion Tazewell Community Hospital | Tazewell | 139 min (2 h 19 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 25 | Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital | Charlottesville | 140 min (2 h 20 min) | 3% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 26 | Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital | Onancock | 141 min (2 h 21 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 26 | Smyth County Community Hospital | Marion | 141 min (2 h 21 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 28 | Henrico Doctors' Hospital | Richmond | 148 min (2 h 28 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 28 | Wythe County Community Hospital | Wytheville | 148 min (2 h 28 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 30 | Inova Mount Vernon Hospital | Alexandria | 150 min (2 h 30 min) | 1% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 31 | Bon Secours Southampton Memorial Hospital | Franklin | 152 min (2 h 32 min) | 2% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 32 | Sentara Obici Hospital | Suffolk | 153 min (2 h 33 min) | 2% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 33 | Bon Secours St Marys Hospital | Richmond | 154 min (2 h 34 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 34 | Warren Memorial Hospital | Front Royal | 156 min (2 h 36 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 35 | Fort Belvoir Community Hospital | Fort Belvoir | 157 min (2 h 37 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 35 | Riverside Doctors' Hospital of Williamsburg | Williamsburg | 157 min (2 h 37 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 37 | UVA Health Culpeper Medical Center | Culpeper | 158 min (2 h 38 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 38 | Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital | South Boston | 160 min (2 h 40 min) | 4% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 39 | Inova Fairfax Hospital | Falls Church | 161 min (2 h 41 min) | 0% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 40 | Fauquier Hospital | Warrenton | 162 min (2 h 42 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 41 | Bon Secours Maryview Medical Center | Portsmouth | 164 min (2 h 44 min) | 1% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 42 | Sentara Princess Anne Hospital | Virginia Beach | 165 min (2 h 45 min) | 2% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 42 | Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center | Williamsburg | 165 min (2 h 45 min) | 3% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 44 | Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center | Woodbridge | 166 min (2 h 46 min) | 5% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 45 | CJW Medical Center | Richmond | 167 min (2 h 47 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 46 | Sentara Leigh Hospital | Norfolk | 168 min (2 h 48 min) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 47 | Inova Fair Oaks Hospital | Fairfax | 172 min (2 h 52 min) | 1% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 47 | Sentara RMH Medical Center | Harrisonburg | 172 min (2 h 52 min) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 49 | Clinch Valley Medical Center | Richlands | 174 min (2 h 54 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 49 | Inova Loudoun Hospital | Leesburg | 174 min (2 h 54 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 49 | Mary Immaculate Hospital | Newport News | 174 min (2 h 54 min) | 2% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 52 | Buchanan General Hospital | Grundy | 175 min (2 h 55 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 53 | Inova Alexandria Hospital | Alexandria | 176 min (2 h 56 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 53 | Mary Washington Hospital | Fredericksburg | 176 min (2 h 56 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 55 | Stafford Hospital, LLC | Stafford | 179 min (2 h 59 min) | 3% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 56 | Sentara Norfolk General Hospital | Norfolk | 183 min (3 h 3 min) | 4% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 57 | Southside Community Hospital, Inc | Farmville | 184 min (3 h 4 min) | 3% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 58 | Community Memorial Hospital | South Hill | 185 min (3 h 5 min) | 3% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 59 | VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital | Tappahannock | 186 min (3 h 6 min) | 2% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 60 | Augusta Health | Fishersville | 187 min (3 h 7 min) | 2% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 60 | Chesapeake General Hospital | Chesapeake | 187 min (3 h 7 min) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 62 | Carilion Franklin Memorial Hospital | Rocky Mount | 191 min (3 h 11 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 63 | Johnston Memorial Hospital | Abingdon | 192 min (3 h 12 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 64 | NMC Portsmouth | Portsmouth | 193 min (3 h 13 min) | 3% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 64 | UVA Health Prince William Medical Center | Manassas | 193 min (3 h 13 min) | 1% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 66 | Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital | Lexington | 198 min (3 h 18 min) | 1% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 67 | Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center | Mechanicsville | 202 min (3 h 22 min) | 1% | High (40,000–59,999) |
| 67 | Sovah Health Danville | Danville | 202 min (3 h 22 min) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 69 | UVA Health Haymarket Medical Center | Haymarket | 204 min (3 h 24 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 70 | Twin County Regional Hospital | Galax | 208 min (3 h 28 min) | 4% | Low (under 20,000) |
| 71 | Carilion New River Valley Medical Center | Christiansburg | 211 min (3 h 31 min) | 1% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 72 | Centra Bedford Memorial Hospital | Bedford | 216 min (3 h 36 min) | 5% | Medium (20,000–39,999) |
| 73 | Winchester Medical Center | Winchester | 218 min (3 h 38 min) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 74 | Centra Health - Lynchburg Gen Hospital | Lynchburg | 234 min (3 h 54 min) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 74 | Medical College of Virginia Hospitals | Richmond | 234 min (3 h 54 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 76 | Virginia Hospital Center | Arlington | 240 min (4 h) | 3% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 77 | Riverside Regional Medical Center | Newport News | 247 min (4 h 7 min) | 4% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 78 | Carilion Medical Center | Roanoke | 272 min (4 h 32 min) | 1% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
| 79 | University of Virginia Medical Center | Charlottesville | 278 min (4 h 38 min) | 2% | Very high (60,000 or more) |
ER wait times by city in Virginia
Common questions
Which ER in Virginia has the shortest wait?
In Medicare's data for October 2024 to September 2025, Dickenson Community Hospital and Lee County Community Hospital had the shortest median time patients spent in the emergency room before going home: 109 minutes. This is the total time of the visit, not the time before seeing a doctor, and it is an average of past patients, not a promise for your visit.
What is the average ER wait time in Virginia?
The middle value of the 79 hospitals listed here is 162 minutes. The national figure published by Medicare is 162 minutes. Each hospital's number is the median time from arriving at the emergency room to leaving it, for patients who were treated and went home.
Should I drive to a farther ER to wait less?
No. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. These times are past averages; emergency rooms see the sickest patients first, and minutes lost on the road can matter more than minutes in a waiting room.
Does a shorter time mean a better emergency room?
Not by itself. Busier emergency rooms and hospitals that treat more serious cases usually have longer times, so the ER volume is shown next to each time. The time is one measure among many on each hospital’s page.
Sources and dates
- Timely and Effective Care - Hospital — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), data updated July 22, 2026, retrieved October 31, 2026. Times: patients seen October 2024 to September 2025; left without being seen: January 2024 to December 2024.
- Timely and Effective Care - National — CMS, data updated July 22, 2026 (the national figures).
Only open hospitals that list an emergency room and report this time are included. The state and city figures are the median of the hospitals listed, calculated by us from the same CMS hospital file. Wording last revised November 11, 2026. Not medical advice.