Department Blog

On the week of June 1, 2026, the Department’s clinical site at the Baltimore VA Emergency Department (ED) reported a record low left-without-being-seen (LWBS) rate.

Out of 329 patient encounters, the VA ED reporting 0 LWBS patients—a remarkable accomplishment for an urban medical center. Of those 329 patients, the door to doctor rate was a mere 21 minutes. 

In the past year, the VA ED has worked to significantly expand and improve its services. As a result, the facility has experienced drastically reduced LWBS rates and decreased arrival-to-provider times. 

Based on its clinical accomplishments, Department of Veterans Affairs recently changed the status of the VA ED to a low-vulnerability Department—recognizing the site’s high-quality service and care to veterans within the Baltimore community.