How long are ER waits at New Orleans hospitals right now?
Live, hospital-reported ER waits for greater New Orleans in one place — Ochsner and LCMC Health both publish current estimates, but each shows only its own hospitals. The numbers below merge both feeds and refresh automatically. They are estimates of the wait to be seen; in a true emergency, call 911.
Last refreshed September 3, 2026
Coverage scope
Greater New Orleans emergency-room wait times: Ochsner and LCMC hospitals, pediatric ERs, how to read hospital-reported estimates
Answer family
ER Wait Times
Stable fields
Hospital list, feed sources, how-to-read guidance
Dynamic fields
Live hospital-reported wait estimates, refreshed automatically
1. Direct answer
Right now, most New Orleans ERs report waits under an hour — but the spread between hospitals is large, and it changes hour to hour. Both of the metro's hospital systems self-report current ER waits: Ochsner for its campuses, LCMC Health for its hospitals. The catch is that each system's website shows only its own ERs. The table below merges both live feeds — the same numbers the hospitals publish — and refreshes automatically. A reported wait is the estimated time until you are first seen, not the length of the whole visit, and triage means the sickest patients always go first.
2. Current ER waits — greater New Orleans
University Medical Center New Orleans (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈26 min
Manning Family Children's — main campus pediatric ER (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈33 min
Children's Hospital pediatric ER — Metairie (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈26 min
Touro Infirmary (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈2 hr 31 min
East Jefferson General Hospital — Metairie (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈46 min
Lakeside Hospital — Metairie (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈24 min
West Jefferson Medical Center — Marrero (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈23 min
New Orleans East Hospital (LCMC) — Reported by the hospital via its MyChart wait-time feed, as of 7:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈9 min
Ochsner Medical Center — Jefferson Highway — Reported by Ochsner Health, as of 4:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈46 min
Ochsner Hospital for Children pediatric ER — Jefferson Highway — Reported by Ochsner Health: no wait estimate currently reported (checked 4:26 PM CDT). not reported
Ochsner Baptist — Uptown — Reported by Ochsner Health, as of 4:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈36 min
Ochsner Medical Center — Kenner — Reported by Ochsner Health, as of 4:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈1 hr
Ochsner Medical Center — West Bank (Gretna) — Reported by Ochsner Health, as of 4:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈15 min
Ochsner Emergency Room — Marrero — Reported by Ochsner Health, as of 4:26 PM CDT. Hospital-reported estimate of the wait to be seen; emergency departments treat the sickest patients first. ≈6 min
In an emergency — Call 911. These figures are hospital-reported estimates for planning, not triage guidance — emergency departments treat the sickest patients first, and a low number is not a promise.
3. How to read these numbers
"Wait" means time until you're first seen
Both systems report an estimate of time until a provider sees you — not the length of the whole visit. A typical complete ER visit in the region runs two to four hours (CMS median).
"Not reported" is not "no wait"
A hospital showing no estimate has simply stopped reporting for the moment. Assume normal waits, not an empty waiting room.
Pediatric ERs are listed separately
Manning Family Children's (main campus and Metairie) and Ochsner Hospital for Children run dedicated pediatric ERs — usually the right destination for a sick or injured child.
Triage outranks the clock
Chest pain, stroke signs, severe bleeding, and trouble breathing are seen immediately at any ER regardless of the posted wait. When in doubt, call 911 — paramedics also route you to the right hospital.
4. If an ER delay caused harm
Posted waits and triage records can matter later
If a serious condition — a stroke, sepsis, an emergency delivery — sat unseen for hours, the triage log, the timestamps, and staffing records become the timeline a malpractice review is built on.