First AZ summit victim - no real clinic at Sugarloaf?

[1Kathleen]

Came up early with a group to get some extra days in. One lady in our group broke her leg on Hayburner today. I was really surprised that the mountain doesn't have an actual medical clinic. Had to go to a hospital in Farmington. Left here at 3pm, just got back at 10. Ski patrol was very nice but said the clinic wasn't profitable so they closed it. Very disappointing.

What ski areas think there first aid clinic 's are profit center? At hospital there were 6 others, 5 legs and 1 shoulder injury all from SL today.

I thought the conditions were pretty good, but the snow was very hard. Be careful out there people.

 

[deadheadskier]

I work in the medical industry. Most hospitals in Maine would lose money without some sort of government reimbursement. Sugarloaf sits in a unique location both geographically and population density wise such that they don't qualify for a government assisted Cricital Access facility. Truly the best care for your friend was to go to Franklin Hospital in Farmington. I doubt the clinic they had would have had the X-Ray equipment to diagnose your friend properly. At that point they would have been shipped off to Farmington anyway.

This wouldn't have been an issue just at Sugarloaf mind you. I am unaware of a single ski area in New England that has a clinic on site with an MD on staff, X-Ray equipment, access to a Radiologist and all the bells and whistles needed to treat anything beyond minor scrapes and sprains. There are some urgent care centers close by to some ski areas, but nothing capable of treating a broken bone.

 

[Jully]

Isn't Jay trying to build a new medical center right now? Know very little about who they want to staff it or what equipment they'll have though.

Regardless hospitals in Maine are in a tough spot. Heck Parkview went bankrupt this summer!

 

[gmcunni]

This wouldn't have been an issue just at Sugarloaf mind you. I am unaware of a single ski area in New England that has a clinic on site with an MD on staff, X-Ray equipment, access to a Radiologist and all the bells and whistles needed to treat anything beyond minor scrapes and sprains. There are some urgent care centers close by to some ski areas, but nothing capable of treating a broken bone.

at sugarbush they have the Fletcher Allen Orthopedic Clinic at Lincoln Peak, not sure about xray capabilities tho.

mount snow has something including xray.

 

[1Kathleen]

Waterville Valley has a full service staffed clinic, on call ortho Dr ( Dr. skis until needed) , can do X-rays except full spine, so there are areas that do have actual emergency care. When I had the pleasure of visiting that clinic a few years ago they had a nurse, Dr and X-ray tech. I suppose I can see not having services during the week but not to have them on the weekend either seems odd to me.

 

[deadheadskier]

Parkview was pretty redundant with Mid Coast right up the street. Mid Coast has Maine Medical Center affiliation too, so Parkview had little chance to compete.

I bet you see St. Mary's and Central Maine combining services in the next 5-10 years in a similar fashion; if not actual medical services than financially. Maine has actually the fastest consolidation of medical providers of all New England states. I bet you within 20 years there will not be a single independent hospital in the state of Maine. They will all fall under either Eastern Maine Health, Maine Health or Central Maine with the only outlier being the VA in Augusta

I can't imagine the facility being built at Jay would be anything too elaborate. It's so close to Newport and North Country Hospital, whatever they'd offer onsite would be extremely limited I'd guess. Sounds more like marketing to me than actual service.

 

[deadheadskier]

Waterville Valley has a full service staffed clinic, on call ortho Dr ( Dr. skis until needed) , can do X-rays except full spine, so there are areas that do have actual emergency care. When I had the pleasure of visiting that clinic a few years ago they had a nurse, Dr and X-ray tech. I suppose I can see not having services during the week but not to have them on the weekend either seems odd to me.

That surprises me. Speare memorial isn't very far from Waterville. I wonder what the clinical affiliation is for Waterville's facility. One thing to keep in mind is that NH is the only state in New England that doesn't require a license for an X-ray tech. Everywhere else does and it seems a bit silly for a ski area to employ an X-ray tech at $25/hr when they might fire up the machine 6 times a week. Even if Waterville has an ortho onsite, I highly doubt he's fixing broken legs right there. I also wonder how new that X-ray equipment is. A basic X-ray machine is going to set you back about $125K. That's not an investment I see most ski areas making considering how infrequently they will be used.

 

[benski]

at sugarbush they have the Fletcher Allen Orthopedic Clinic at Lincoln Peak, not sure about xray capabilities tho.

mount snow has something including xray.

Sugarbush has an x ray at south.

 

[deadheadskier]

Sugarbush has an x ray at south.

I'd be interested to hear how it's staffed.

Is it a mountain owned and operated facility or is it part of a local GP?

 

[gmcunni]

Everywhere else does and it seems a bit silly for a ski area to employ an X-ray tech at $25/hr when they might fire up the machine 6 times a week. Even if Waterville has an ortho onsite, I highly doubt he's fixing broken legs right there. I also wonder how new that X-ray equipment is. A basic X-ray machine is going to set you back about $125K. That's not an investment I see most ski areas making considering how infrequently they will be used.

my buddy's son broke his leg @ MT Snow last year. they said if the break was clean (and simple) they could set it there put him in a cast and send him home. after doing the xray the told him it was neither clean nor simple and the kid ended up in surgery a few days later @ Dartmouth.

 

[deadheadskier]

my buddy's son broke his leg @ MT Snow last year. they said if the break was clean (and simple) they could set it there put him in a cast and send him home. after doing the xray the told him it was neither clean nor simple and the kid ended up in surgery a few days later @ Dartmouth.

Guess they have an urgent care facility onsite then. Wonder if that's paid for by the ski area or if it's a private business.

 

[benski]

I'd be interested to hear how it's staffed.

Is it a mountain owned and operated facility or is it part of a local GP?

I think so. I know they have a doctor there most of the time.

 

[Breeze]

Sunday River has the Western Maine Mountain clinic.

http://www.wmhcc.org/wmh_body.cfm?id=2847

 

[deadheadskier]

Sunday River has the Western Maine Mountain clinic.

http://www.wmhcc.org/wmh_body.cfm?id=2847

Right, which is owned and operated by Maine Medical Center.

I guess that's my point. If it were up to Sunday River alone, I don't think that clinic would be there. Maine Medical Center recently acquired Franklin Hospital in Farmington. I'd imagine if they thought it was necessary, they would be the ones putting a satellite clinic up at Sugarloaf.

 

[Nick]

Yikes ... Sorry about her leg

 

[dlague]

Isn't Jay trying to build a new medical center right now? Know very little about who they want to staff it or what equipment they'll have though.

My understanding it was going to affiliated with North Country Hospital.

 

[Jully]

Right, which is owned and operated by Maine Medical Center.

I guess that's my point. If it were up to Sunday River alone, I don't think that clinic would be there. Maine Medical Center recently acquired Franklin Hospital in Farmington. I'd imagine if they thought it was necessary, they would be the ones putting a satellite clinic up at Sugarloaf.

SR sees more year round traffic than SL does I think. I don't see anything coming closer to SL than Farmington for a long time.

 

[Edd]

What ski areas think there first aid clinic 's are profit center? At hospital there were 6 others, 5 legs and 1 shoulder injury all from SL today.

7 hospital-worthy injuries at one time on a non-holiday Thursday sounds excessive. Bad day. I wonder what the full day total was?

 

[Jully]

My understanding it was going to affiliated with North Country Hospital.

I thought I remembered hearing EB5 money involved too. It will be interesting to see how it's staffed and if it's just mostly for marketing.

 

[VTKilarney]

I thought I remembered hearing EB5 money involved too. It will be interesting to see how it's staffed and if it's just mostly for marketing.

That was my recollection too.


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