Bellingham hospital’s ER is flooded with patients. Here’s where you can get help faster
If you’re running a fever, coughing and aching all over — and think you need medical treatment — local health officials are asking you to avoid the hospital ER unless it’s actual emergency.
Instead of the hospital ER, health officials are urging patients with less serious symptoms to wait until their doctor’s office is open or go to an urgent care clinic.
Respiratory viruses such as influenza and RSV are seeing “significant community transmission,” according to the Whatcom County Department of Health and Human Services and recent reporting by The Herald.
It’s overwhelming the staff at St. Joseph Medical Center’s Emergency Department, which is seeing “unprecedented patient volumes” because of seasonal colds, flu and other medical issues, PeaceHealth spokeswoman Anne Williams said in an email to The Herald.
Dr. James Scribner, medical director at the hospital’s Emergency Department, said it could be a long wait at the ER for people with less serious symptoms because more seriously ill people are treated first.
“Please know that we treat everyone who visits our Emergency Department, but those with non-emergency needs will most likely have a longer wait time before we are able to care for them. We are asking the community to consider other care options for non-emergency health-care needs so our team can care for the most ill and vulnerable,” Scribner said.
Scribner said that if your symptoms aren’t life-threatening, a visit to your doctor or an urgent-care clinic might be a better option.
Urgent care
Whatcom County has several urgent-care clinics, including:
▪ Priority Care at PeaceHealth Cordata Main Clinic, 4545 Cordata Parkway Suite 1A, Phone: 360-788-8180. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday–Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
▪ PeaceHealth Priority Care at Medical Office Plaza, 3015 Squalicum Parkway Suite 140. Phone: 360-788-8420. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
▪ Priority Care at PeaceHealth Lynden Clinic, 8840 Benson Road Suite 3, Lynden. Phone: 360-288-4741. Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
▪ Super Track Urgent Care, 1050 Lakeway Drive. Phone: 360-746-6531. Hours: Monday-Sunday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
▪ Super Track Urgent Care, 2030 Benson Road, Point Roberts. Phone: 360-945-2580. Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
▪ Care Medical Group, 4043 Northwest Ave. Phone: 360-734-4300. Hours: Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
▪ Family Care Network 3120 Squalicum Parkway. Phone: 360-671-4509. Hours: Monday–Friday, 1-9 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
▪ Proliance Pacific Rim Orthopedic Surgeons has a walk-in clinic for orthopedic injuries at 2979 Squalicum Parkway, Suite 203. Phone: 360-733-7670. Hours: Monday–Friday, 1-8 p.m. Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This story was originally published February 20, 2025 at 9:48 AM.
