ALERT // Patients may experience longer ER wait times District-wide
Office of Advisory Neighborhood Commissions sent this bulletin at 08/07/2025 09:53 PM EDTTonight, the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (OAG) advised Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center GW Health (CHRMC) and other D.C. hospitals to expect a surge of patients in the emergency department starting around midnight.
I understand this could present a confusing and frustrating situation for constituents, neighbors, and loved ones. Here are Q&A to help you:
Q: Why are you expecting a patient surge? A: Law enforcement is making a concerted effort tonight to clear out homeless encampments, which may result in a high volume of people being brought into emergency rooms.
Q: What will this mean for my constituents? A: Patients coming to emergency rooms for “low acuity” or minor conditions, like a fever or a cough, may experience longer than normal wait times.
If the condition is not a true emergency, patients may prefer to visit an urgent care facility. Here’s a graphic to repost to constituents about which conditions are emergencies and which should be seen in urgent care: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMgGU5GTFij/.
Q: When will you know more? A: Our hospital coalition leaders will be in touch with Mayor Bowser’s team tonight and share any updates. CHRMC is assessing the situation in our emergency department continuously and is preparing for a potential surge.
Commissioner Tom Donohue
