Abstract
The impact of amount of time required for emergency room IER) treatment was studied by systematically surveying ZOO patients after treatment i n the ER of a large, acute-care, teaching hospital. Patients who spent two hours or more in the ER were less favorable in their evaluations of the ER and the care they received there. CDI four out of six questions these differences were statistically significant and large enough t o be of practical importance to ER supervisors and hospital administrators. Suggestions are made on methods t o reduce the feeling of abandonment that becomes common when total treatment time exceeds two hours.