A recent Becker’s Hospital Review article highlights a critical — and growing — concern in emergency departments (EDs) across the U.S. as patients presenting with behavioral health needs often wait hours longer than those with physical health needs.
According to the article, at some hospitals, average ED wait times for mental health patients exceed 13 hours, with facilities in New York, California, and Colorado topping the list. This prolonged delay in care not only impacts patient outcomes, but places significant stress on already overextended emergency teams.
At Iris Telehealth, we see this as more than a workflow issue — it’s a call to action to ensure patients in crisis receive timely, compassionate, and expert psychiatric care.
Where We Fit In: Iris Telehealth’s On-Demand Services
Our On-Demand Services (ODS) model is purpose-built to address the exact issue Becker’s is spotlighting. By connecting hospitals and health systems to a dedicated pod of licensed behavioral health clinicians, we help bridge the gap between need and access.
With Iris’s ODS model, EDs can:
- Shorten wait times for behavioral health evaluations by offering 24/7 access to board-certified psychiatrists and PMHNPs.
- Prevent unnecessary inpatient admissions through timely triage and assessment.
- Alleviate staff burnout by providing reliable psychiatric coverage.
- Streamline care with clinicians trained to integrate into your existing EMR and workflows.
- Support throughput and discharge goals, improving care for all patients.
The Financial Impact of ED Boarding
Extended ED stays for behavioral health patients don’t just delay care — they also carry a steep financial cost. It can cost hospitals up to $2,000 per hour per bed to board a patient in the ED. When psychiatric patients remain in ED beds for 12 or more hours waiting for evaluation or placement, those are beds that can’t be used for other acute medical needs — resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue per patient. Multiply that across multiple patients, and the numbers add up fast.
By providing timely telepsychiatry evaluations, Iris helps hospitals optimize bed utilization, reduce unnecessary admissions, and recapture revenue that might otherwise be lost to prolonged psychiatric boarding. Our model not only improves patient care — it supports the financial sustainability of emergency departments nationwide.
Why This Matters
When mental health patients wait more than half a day to be seen, it’s not just a scheduling issue — it’s a breakdown in access to care. The longer someone in crisis waits for help, the more likely their symptoms are to escalate, leading to avoidable hospitalizations or repeat ED visits.
By partnering with Iris Telehealth, hospitals can ensure these patients receive high-quality, timely care, day or night, without sacrificing operational efficiency or staff well-being.
Let’s work together to change the trajectory of mental health care in the ED.
Learn how Iris’s On-Demand Services can reduce wait times and support better outcomes.
