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MLHS Ranked Second Nationally for Short ER Visit Times
January 20, 2026
Mille Lacs Health System’s Emergency Department is being recognized on a national level for providing some of the shortest emergency room visit times in the country. Becker’s Hospital Review recently released its compiled list of hospitals with the shortest emergency department visit times based on 2024 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data, and Mille Lacs Health System ranked second in the nation.
This recognition builds on a strong showing the previous year, when Mille Lacs Health System ranked fifth nationally, and reflects a sustained focus on efficient care delivery while maintaining patient safety and clinical quality as top priorities.
Emergency departments across the country continue to experience high patient volumes and increasing complexity of care. Despite these pressures, Mille Lacs Health System closely monitors several key performance measures that directly affect patient experience and outcomes.
One of those measures is “arrival time to triage,” which averages 15 minutes at Mille Lacs Health System. Triage is the process where a nurse assesses a patient’s condition to determine the urgency of care. When a triage room is unavailable, a nurse will meet patients in the waiting area to assess their health needs and begin the care process.
Patients in the emergency department are seen based on acuity, meaning those with more serious or life-threatening conditions are treated first, rather than strictly in the order of arrival. Some patients also arrive by ambulance and may be taken directly to a treatment area, bypassing the waiting room.
Another tracked measure is “arrival time to in bed,” which averages 19 minutes. This represents how quickly patients are moved from arrival into an emergency department treatment space. Mille Lacs Health System’s average “arrival to departure” time is 141 minutes. In many emergency departments, patients may still be waiting to be seen within the timeframe it takes many visits at Mille Lacs Health System to be completed.
Andy Knutson, CEO of Mille Lacs Health System, said the recognition reflects a continued focus on timely care and safety. “We’re proud of this national recognition and what it represents for our patients,” Knutson said. “Providing timely care matters, but safety and compassion always come first.”
The organization continues to invest in improvements that support both care quality and safety. The Emergency Department was built new and opened in 2022 as part of Mille Lacs Health System’s Next Chapter building expansion, designed to better meet the needs of patients and staff in a modern care environment. Additional enhancements more recently include: new ventilators, a new ultrasound machine, updated software that expands capabilities and interface with our charting system, and barcode scanning for medications as an added safety measure.
For patients, shorter visit times can mean faster evaluations, quicker diagnoses, and more efficient care during stressful and often urgent situations. Mille Lacs Health System’s continued progress demonstrates that high-quality emergency care can be delivered efficiently while keeping patient needs at the center of every decision.
The Mille Lacs Health System Emergency Department is available 24 hours a day, and seven days a week. The right care for you. Right by you.