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  1. #1

    Default Hospitals along the trail

    Ok, was planning on leaving for the trail today (June 20) but my girlfriend came down with mono (she's coming with me when we do eventually go). I have yet to come down with any symptons and I'm planning to get tested for it.
    I was curious, how close are hospitals to the trail, in case it comes back, or if it helps cause something else (causes weakened immune symptoms alot of the time). Does anyone think it would really be all that necessary to know where hospitals are, or would just having a way to towns/emergancy services be enough (cell phone, emergency gps, etc.).
    The original plan was to do a flip flop hike starting in Hamburg Pa, going north from there, so if I do figure out where hospitals are will probably focus on the first 70-100 miles north of that
    Now intend on starting between the 10th and 20th of next month and see how far north we can get before winter

  2. #2
    Registered User DavidNH's Avatar
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    Concord, NH
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    Default

    As I recall there are no hospitals ON the trail. And as far as Hospitals reasonably close by they are few and far between. The AT goes through Hanover, NH. Maybe 5 miles to the south off of Rt 120 in Lebanon, there is Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital.. one of the finest hospitals in the northeast. No matter what is wrong with you medically speaking, they can handle it. There is a hospital in Conway, NH (1/2 hr or so from Gorham, NH), a hospital in Rutland, VT, etc.

    Provided you have a car or can get someone to give you a ride.. I am sure there are other hospitals accessible in many of the states. They may be 20-30 minutes away by car.. but they are there.

  3. #3

    Default

    Hope you never need to use this info, but I can recommend the hospital in Berlin, NH (just north of Gorham). It's a 25-bed hospital, and I got phenomenal care there when I broke my ankle hiking five years ago.

  4. #4

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    that's not a very remote section, so just get an idea where you can exit the trail and where you can/can't get reception
    If you're concerned about this, make sure you use a good map. You don't want to call EMS or anyone else for pickup and have no clue where you are, or tell them vague info like you're "at a dirt road somewhere near hamburg..."

  5. #5

    Default

    Not specific to PA but worth it if someone is searching for info.

    There are several community hospitals near the AT in northern NH and the state has a statewide helicopter system (DHART) for emergency's that exceed the local community hospitals capabilities. Maine has a similar helicopter system and the various outdoor recreation groups maintain a list of signed and suitable landing points in remote areas (mostly near snowmobile trail networks). Once you hit Maine, the community health centers start getting further from the trail and hospitals are even further. The options are pretty much a community hospital in Rumford, Showhegan or Millinocket. If they cant handle it, then there are regional hospitals further south that they feed patients to.

    There are also numerous community health centers along the trail in the region but walks ins are rarely accepted as there is shortage of doctors in the region. There is a walk in medical clinic in Bartlett NH, Saco River Medical http://www.sacodocs.com/ that is just down the road about 10 miles from Pinkham Notch or Crawford Notch. The AMC shuttle in the whites does not go directly to Saco River Medical but you can catch the twice daily Concord Coach bus to the facility. In Gorham, there is local community shuttle service that will go to the Berlin Hospital http://www.tccap.org/services/transportation/# and a private shuttle is usually on call for pickups in the whites http://trailangelshikerservices.com/

    In general for routine medical testing and services its best for northbounders to get it done in Dartmouth or Gorham as father north into Maine means a much longer and more expensive shuttle to get to a facility that can supply the needed services.

    One thing to note, the hospitals in northern NH are all loosely affiliated, they all can handle standard emergencies but the one in Littleton specializes in cold weather injuries. This service is hopefully not needed by most thruhikers but cases of severe frostbite usually end up in Littleton.

  6. #6
    Registered User
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    07-19-2007
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    Hummelstown & Tioga, PA
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    Near Hamburg, hospitals are in Reading: https://www.readinghealth.org/ and http://www.thefutureofhealthcare.org/

    Palmerton has a small hospital: http://www.blmtn.org/?id=111&sid=1 but the regional hospital is in Allentown https://www.lvhn.org/facilities_dire...al_cedar_crest

    In Delaware Water Gap area the hospital is in nearby East Stroudsburg: https://www.poconohealthsystem.org/

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