Bellingham healthcare
Can nearby hospital care and a broad specialist network support daily care?
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center is listed about 1.4 miles away, with a Level II trauma designation. PeaceHealth describes a 48-bed emergency and trauma center open around the clock, with trauma surgeons available 24/7. HIFLD reports 179 beds, while a PeaceHealth fact sheet lists 255 total licensed beds for a different period.
Seven HRSA adult-primary-care sites are within 15 miles, nearest at 0.2 miles. The city registry lists 27 pharmacies and 129 selected Medicare specialists, including geriatric medicine, cardiology, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, pulmonary care, nephrology, and rheumatology. Confirm clinicians, coverage, referrals, records, appointments, and capacity.
Access to care
1 hospitals are listed within 12 km. A primary care visit, a pharmacy stop, and an urgent need may not all be equally close to the same home.
1
Hospitals Within 12 km
- Healthcare Access
- Very Good
- Hospital Access
- Very Good
- HRSA Adult Primary Care Sites Within 15 Miles
- 7
- Nearest HRSA Adult Primary Care Site
- 0.2 mi
Everyday and urgent care
Primary care and pharmacy access shape frequent appointments. Specialist and emergency options matter when a need cannot wait.
Everyday care
- Primary Care Access
- Excellent
- Registered Retail Pharmacies
- 27
More involved care
- Medicare Listed Selected Specialists in City
- 129
- Emergency Care
- Excellent
Specialists and long term care
Specialist availability, emergency options, and longer term health can matter once you have chosen a neighborhood.
- Medicare Listed Rheumatology Clinicians in City
- 3
- Medicare Listed Nephrology Clinicians in City
- 5
- Medicare Listed Pulmonary Disease Clinicians in City
- 14
- Medicare Listed Endocrinology Clinicians in City
- 2
- Medicare Listed Ophthalmology Clinicians in City
- 11
- Medicare Listed Neurology Clinicians in City
- 13
- Medicare Listed Medical Oncology Clinicians in City
- 3
- Medicare Listed Cardiology Clinicians in City
- 14
- Medicare Listed Geriatric Medicine Clinicians in City
- 4
- Residents 65+ Without Health Insurance
- 0.3%
- Medicare Emergency Hospitals Within 30 Miles
- 5
- Nearest Medicare Emergency Hospital
- 1.4 miles
- Nearest CMS Rated Hospital
- 1.4 mi away
- Reported Hospital Beds Within 12 km
- 179
- Life Expectancy at Birth — National (2024)
- 78.9 years
- Medicare Advantage Plan Options
- 20
- CMS Certified Nursing Homes Within 15 Miles
- 7
- Nearest CMS Certified Nursing Home
- 0.3 mi away
- Medicare Listed Home Health Agency Offices in City
- 3
- Medicare Listed Hospice Provider Offices in City
- 2
- Medicare Listed Dialysis Facilities in City
- 1
- CMS Reported Ambulatory Surgical Centers in City
- 12
- CMS Listed Inpatient Rehab Facilities in City
- 1
- CMS Listed Long Term Care Hospitals in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities in City
- 1
- CMS Listed Rural Health Clinics in City
- 0
- CMS Listed Federally Qualified Health Centers in City
- 4
- CMS Listed Home Infusion Therapy Supplier Enrollments in City
- 1
- Residents 65+ With a Disability
- 29.4%
- CMS Listed Ambulance Service Supplier Enrollments in City
- 6
- CMS Listed MDPP Supplier Enrollments in City
- 0
- Life Expectancy
- About 78.9 years
- Walkability for Health
- Moderate
4 of 5 stars · 1.4 mi away
SHUKSAN REHABILITATION AND HEALTH CARE (505098) · 0.3 mi away
Bellingham in everyday life
Could Bellingham work for you?
What may work well
- PeaceHealth offers nearby emergency, trauma, hospital, and specialist services.
- Seven HRSA primary-care sites are within 15 miles and 27 pharmacies are listed in the city registry.
- The specialty rows include geriatric medicine and several major medical categories.
What to think about
- Registry bed counts use different definitions and dates, so they should not be combined casually.
- Registry counts do not show appointment availability, capacity, insurance, or wait times.
- Flood, earthquake, tsunami, rain, and transport planning still matter on a care day.
Turn Bellingham care rows into a personal care plan
Confirm primary care
Ask about accepting patients, continuity, appointments, records, referrals, after-hours contact, and rainy-day access.
Visit PeaceHealth
Trace emergency, trauma, imaging, laboratory, inpatient, and discharge routes. Include parking, companions, coverage, and the trip home.
Identify specialty travel
Find the named clinician for each condition and confirm network, appointment timing, records, prescriptions, and transportation.
Prepare for hazards
Keep emergency contacts, medication, power, lighting, transport, and a safe route home ready for flood, earthquake, tsunami, or storm conditions.
Questions retirees ask
Is hospital care close in Bellingham?
PeaceHealth St. Joseph is listed about 1.4 miles away and describes a 24-hour emergency and trauma center. Confirm the route, services, coverage, and exact home access.
How much primary care is nearby?
Seven HRSA adult-primary-care sites are listed within 15 miles, nearest at 0.2 miles. Ask about registration, clinicians, appointments, records, and referrals.
Are specialists available locally?
The selected Medicare registry lists 129 specialists across categories including cardiology, geriatric medicine, neurology, oncology, ophthalmology, and pulmonary care. Confirm the specific clinician and network.
What should a retiree verify?
Verify coverage, referrals, emergency transport, pharmacy access, records, appointment timing, hospital services, hazard routes, and the complete plan for each ongoing condition.
Bellingham has a strong local care starting point, while a retiree should still confirm clinician availability, coverage, records, transportation, and hazard access for the exact home.
Sources
Hospitals, primary care, pharmacies, specialists, and emergency care all affect how close and practical care may feel.
Confirm insurance acceptance, specialist availability, language needs, prescription access, and emergency care before making serious plans.
- OpenStreetMap healthcare amenities static probe
Used for Healthcare Access, Primary Care Access
- FEMA RAPT / HIFLD Hospitals
Used for Hospital Access, Hospitals Within 12 km, Reported Hospital Beds Within 12 km
Checked 2026-07-19
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Selected Specialists in City, Medicare-Listed Rheumatology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Nephrology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Pulmonary Disease Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Endocrinology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Ophthalmology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Neurology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Medical Oncology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Cardiology Clinicians in City, Medicare-Listed Geriatric Medicine Clinicians in City
Checked 2026-07-13
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services NPPES NPI Registry
Used for Registered Retail Pharmacies
Checked 2026-07-19
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Used for Emergency Care, Medicare Emergency Hospitals Within 30 Miles, Nearest Medicare Emergency Hospital, Nearest CMS-Rated Hospital
Checked 2026-07-12
- U.S. Census Bureau
Used for Residents 65+ Without Health Insurance
- Health Resources and Services Administration
Used for HRSA Adult Primary-Care Sites Within 15 Miles, Nearest HRSA Adult Primary-Care Site
Checked 2026-07-18
- World Bank
Used for Life Expectancy at Birth — National (2024), Life Expectancy
Checked 2026-06-18
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Used for Medicare Advantage Plan Options
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Certified Nursing Homes Within 15 Miles, Nearest CMS-Certified Nursing Home
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Home Health Agency Offices in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Hospice Provider Offices in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for Medicare-Listed Dialysis Facilities in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Reported Ambulatory Surgical Centers in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Inpatient Rehab Facilities in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Long-Term Care Hospitals in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Rural Health Clinics in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Federally Qualified Health Centers in City
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Home Infusion Therapy Supplier Enrollments in City
- U.S. Census Bureau
Used for Residents 65+ With a Disability
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Used for CMS-Listed Ambulance Service Supplier Enrollments in City, CMS-Listed MDPP Supplier Enrollments in City
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Walkability Index
Used for Walkability for Health
Checked 2026-07-10
Not yet available for this place: Specialist Access.
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Partner with Retirement ListsResearch and writing byGrant Gibson
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