There’s definitely a stigma attached to waiting in the emergency room. Yes, TV and movies have taken the image of people with bleeding heads and twisted limbs sitting for hours on end a little far, but it’s not that much off the mark. Going to the emergency room for a non-life-threatening emergency is definitely a waiting game, and it feels completely out of your control. Add in an upset child (or a hangry parent), and it can definitely be a recipe for disaster. It almost feels like a waste of time to sit there waiting, when you could potentially be doing something else.

Rather than wallowing away in the waiting room, Tufts Medical Center, one of the oldest hospitals in the whole country, has introduced a new service that makes the idea of having to bring an injured child (or your injured self) into the emergency room a little bit more manageable. The InQuicker service is a new online service and app that allows you to check in to the emergency room and wait at home (or wherever you happen to be), rather than wasting your time sitting in the emergency room waiting to be seen. You can choose your time and be seen within moments of showing up.

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I’ve been fortunate to not have a whole lot of ER experience (knock on wood), but I have had plenty of experience in waiting rooms, and it always feels like a waste of time. The last time I sat for OVER AN HOUR to be seen when Olivia was sick, I felt almost disrespected, as though my time didn’t matter. Yes, I know doctors are doing important work and have to see their patients. Yes, I know they want to give them the care and attention they deserve. But wouldn’t it be nice if parents could leave the waiting room to take their antsy child for a walk and then come back at a certain time, rather than sit there and be told over and over, “You’ll be seen soon”? That’s exactly what makes this service so appealing — respect for patients and doctors.

Using the InQuicker service will allow you to schedule an estimated treatment time in the ER and wait in the comfort of your own home. Once you get to the ER at your treatment time, you’re typically seen within 15 minutes of arrival. I also happen to love the idea of receiving real-time notifications through my phone of when I could expect to be seen, should there be a delay. I’ve spent more time than I would like in an ER waiting room ill prepared — not enough snacks or activities, since I didn’t think about how long I might be there. When you are in a non-life-threatening emergency situation, you forget about the red tape and the waits. Taking a moment to schedule an appointment with a handy app helps make the whole experience a little more graceful.

As the region’s leading value provider and a teaching hospital, Tufts serves both adults and children. It is also a five-star teaching hospital with incredibly high patient ratings and an accessible medical center.

I partnered with the brand to write this article, but every word is mine.

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