Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania · ER
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Official / estimated
Estimated wait to first assessment
This hospital doesn't publish a live ER wait. National average — no hospital-specific data or visitor reports yet.
Recent wait reports submitted by visitors
What people who waited here actually experienced, newest first.
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Reported by visitors
Last report: no reports yet · Updated live from visitor submissions.
Best time to visit the ER at Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street
Not enough history yet to call a best time.
This pattern is built from the waits we record at Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street around the clock. It appears once every hour of the day has several readings behind it, rather than guessing from a thin sample.
In the meantime: across US emergency departments, evenings between about 6 PM and midnight are typically the busiest, and early mornings are usually quietest. Monday is often the heaviest weekday.
Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street wait time graph
No wait history for this hospital yet.
We chart the last 24 hours of published waits here, alongside any wait times visitors report. There aren't enough readings for Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street to draw a line yet.
Waited here recently? Submitting your wait above is the fastest way to get this graph started.
Location & emergency contacts
Allentown, PA
- 988988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall or text, 24/7, anywhere in the US
- 1-800-222-1222Poison ControlPoisoning, overdose or medication emergencies, 24/7
Not sure you need the ER? Call the 24/7 nurse advice line on the back of your insurance card.
Emergency rooms in Allentown
6 other departments in Allentown besides Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street, shortest wait first.
| Hospital | Type | Wait | Source | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Valley Hospital- Hecktown Oaks | ER | — | — | — |
| Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest | ER | — | — | — |
| St. Luke's Hospital - Allentown Campus | ER | — | — | — |
| St. Luke's Hospital - Sacred Heart Campus | ER | — | — | — |
| St. Luke's West End Medical Center | ER | — | — | — |
| Surgery Center of Allentown | ER | — | — | — |
Nearby ERs outside Allentown
The closest emergency departments in neighboring communities — worth the drive when the local wait is long. Distances are straight-line, so allow more for real roads.
| Hospital | Distance | Wait | Source | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good Shepherd Specialty Hospital – BethlehemBethlehem | 4.3 mi | 30 min | Typical | — |
| Lehigh Valley Health Network – Tower PlaceBethlehem | 4.2 mi | 33 min | Typical | — |
| St. Luke’s Anderson CampusEaston | 10 mi | 38 min | Typical | — |
| Lehigh Valley Hospital–MuhlenbergBethlehem | 4.6 mi | 43 min | Typical | — |
| St. Luke’s University Hospital – Bethlehem CampusBethlehem | 4.2 mi | 45 min | Typical | — |
| St. Luke's University Hospital - Bethlehem CampusBethlehem | 4.1 mi | — | — | — |
Not an emergency? 1 walk-in option in Allentown
Urgent care and walk-in clinics handle minor injuries, infections and prescriptions, usually far faster than an emergency department. Their hours are limited — check before you go.
| Hospital | Type | Wait | Source | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patient First Primary and Urgent Care - Allentown | Urgent Care | — | — | — |
Tips for visiting the ER in Allentown
Call 911 instead if it's severe
Chest pain, trouble breathing, stroke signs, heavy bleeding, or a serious injury — call 911 rather than driving. Paramedics start treatment on the way and you are assessed on arrival instead of joining the queue.
Bring your insurance card, ID and a medication list
Bring your health insurance card, photo ID, and a written list of your medications, doses and allergies. Federal law (EMTALA) means an emergency department must screen and stabilize you whether or not you have insurance — never skip care over coverage.
Expect to be seen by severity, not arrival
Triage means the sickest patient goes first, so the posted wait is an estimate for an average patient. Tell the triage nurse immediately if your symptoms change or get worse while you are waiting — that can change your priority.
Check the wait before you leave, and compare other Allentown options
Waits move by the hour. Refresh this page just before you set off, and compare against the other departments listed further down — a longer drive can still mean a shorter total time.
Call a nurse line first if you're unsure
Most health insurers and hospital systems run a free 24/7 nurse advice line — the number is usually on the back of your insurance card. A nurse can tell you whether an emergency visit is warranted, or whether urgent care, telehealth or waiting until morning is safe.
Bring someone, and something to do
Emergency departments run 24/7 and waits of several hours are common. Bring a phone charger, water, any regular medication you take, and if you can, someone who can speak for you and drive you home.
Visitor reviews
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Frequently asked questions
- What is the current ER wait time at Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street?
- Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street does not publish a live emergency wait time. WaitUpdates.com shows an estimate of about 1h 30m to first assessment instead, based on typical emergency department waits across the United States. Treat it as a rough guide — call the hospital for anything time-sensitive.
- How many emergency departments are there in Allentown?
- WaitUpdates.com tracks 8 hospital departments in Allentown, 7 of which are emergency rooms. They are all listed on this page with their current waits, shortest first.
- Should I go to the emergency room with the shortest wait time?
- Not necessarily. US emergency departments triage by severity (most use the 5-level Emergency Severity Index), not arrival order, so a sicker patient arriving after you is seen first. A department showing a longer posted wait may still treat you sooner if your condition is urgent, and the posted figure is an estimate for average patients, not a promise. Use the shortest wait to choose between comparable options — never to decide whether to seek care at all.
- Where does WaitUpdates.com get Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street's wait times?
- Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street publishes no live figure, so the headline number is an estimate. Visitor reports on this page are shown separately and are never blended into the official number, because a handful of reports can be skewed easily.
- Is Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street open 24 hours?
- Hospital emergency departments in Pennsylvania, including Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street, are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, including holidays. Urgent care and walk-in clinics keep shorter hours, so check before traveling to one of those instead.
- What should I do if the wait in Allentown is long?
- This page lists the 6 nearest emergency departments outside Allentown with their current waits and distance, so you can weigh a drive against a wait. You can also call the 24/7 nurse advice line on the back of your insurance card to speak with a registered nurse about where to go. For something non-urgent, there is 1 walk-in or urgent care option in Allentown listed on this page. If symptoms are severe or worsening, call 911 — long waits are never a reason to avoid emergency care.
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If Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street publishes a wait time we are not showing — or the number here is wrong — tell us and we will wire up the feed. It is free, and it takes about 30 seconds.
⚠️ Wait times shown are estimates based on community reports and historical patterns, and are not endorsed by the hospital. Actual waits vary with patient volume and case severity. In an emergency, call 911.