Opinions on Danville and Geisinger (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh: real estate, apartments, crime)

[KAM12345]

Greetings,

I'm originally from central PA (Williamsport) and am considering moving back. Because of the COVID pandemic's impact on my employer, there's a possibility that I will be able to continue remote work indefinitely. I currently live in the very expensive DC metro region, and I figure if remote work is permitted long term, it would make sense to relocate to a smaller city with a lower cost of living.

The catch is I have multiple chronic health issues, so I need to be around quality medical care. Danville, PA with Geisinger Medical Center seems like a reasonable option but I haven't lived in PA recently so I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts and opinions on living in Danville, as well as opinions about the doctors and quality of care at Geisinger. Especially if you have chronic health issues -- how easy is it, do the doctors communicate with each other, etc. In my experience, it's hard to find quality care for chronic health conditions that require multiple specialists. That seems to be the nature of medical care in this country.

Also, I'm not able to drive much anymore, at least not long distances, due to my health, so I'm seeking close proximity to care. If there is some level of public transit or disability paratransit, even if limited, that would be great.

I'm also considering Williamsport but have heard that UPMC tries to send people to Pittsburgh for specialists. I'd prefer to avoid travelling when I need to see specialists. Having lived in Pittsburgh in the past, also have no desire to travel there for medical care or live there.

Thanks for reading and appreciate any thoughts or advice!

KAM

[jtab4994]

My wife is from "out that way" and her one brother was treated at Geisinger over many years, and always received top care including one particular life-saving operation that took over 6 hours. Geisinger is huge and well-funded and attracts top doctors from all over the world.

My wife's other brother works as a volunteer at a Ronald McDonald-style guest quarters on the campus, and he lives in the area. Just outside the city limits it's very rural and the pace of life is relaxed.

Not sure how local transit works but with the hospital being as large as it is, I'm sure there are options for patients and family members as well as employees to take public transportation to get there.

[Wells5]

Housing situation in Danville is constrained. It's a small borough and the demand is high. Chances are you'd have to live in the Bloomsburg or Sunbury or out towards Shamokin or Williamsport. Public transit is poor there.


UPMC has brought on a lot of specialists although most are foreign. Public transportation in Williamsport is excellent and "STEP" is a free state sponsored door to door medical transport system for seniors and others with chronic conditions. Lots of new apartments for seniors and others who qualify.


https://affordablehousingonline.com/...a/Williamsport


So I'd opt for Williamsport

[KAM12345]

Thank you both. I appreciate the info!

[Chefkey]

Danville is a small town without much going for it other than Geisinger and yes, real estate is through the roof there. Not sure why as it is a small out of the way area. Maybe the Doctors working at Geisinger are buying the houses and driving up the market?

If you are looking to stay near Geisinger there are many facilities in and around Wyoming Valley. You'll find more affordable housing and more shopping in Luzerne and Lackawanna County while still being near Geisinger.

As for the networking of Doctors, Geisinger does a fantastic job of this. If you stay in their network, everything you do is visible to all the Doctors wherever you go. So they can look at your chart and see all the information.

Mass transit in the Wyoming Valley is also pretty good. In Danville, I'm not sure how reliable it would be.

[fisheye]

I have had an operation at Geisinger in Danville and my wife had one also. They have a first hand act. The only complaint we had was the health food; you could starve to death on that no taste healthy food! But they do have a first class act of doctors and surgeons; they must get some good take-out from some of the local businesses - otherwise they would have starved to death!

I have a Geisinger health center in Mt. Pocono and I highly recommend my doctor and her two physician assistants. I have never had any GP that followed up so thoroughly. Have you ever had a doctor or PA that sent you seven emails to see if you were OK when they were worried?

I am not saying that they are all like that; but I just have the upmost respect for the medical professionals that I have met within the Geisinger system. I almost makes that health food all worth it; providing you don't starve to death!

[briantroutman]

KAM- I’m from Williamsport orginally, too. Allow me to offer my two cents.

Yes, you’re right about the connection between UPMC and Susquehanna Health System, and my sister’s current situation is a perfect illustration of the consequences of that relationship. She was born with a life-threatening congenital heart defect 30 years ago and was airlifted from Divine Providence to Geisinger when she was just two days old. After several surgeries and countless brushes with death, she emerged from Geisinger an otherwise healthy and normal infant. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the skill and cooperation of her treatment team at Geisinger was instrumental in saving her life.

Fast forward three decades—she began to experience heart palpitations and was hospitalized at Williamsport; tests soon revealed another life-threatening heart condition. But now, with Susquehanna Health under the ownership of UPMC, she was airlifted 170 miles away to Pittsburgh, where she’s been in critical condition for over a month. And as a result, my mother dropped everything and went to Pittsburgh, and she has been staying by my sister's bedside virtually every waking moment since. And as with Geisinger, my mother has nothing but praise for the wisdom and professionalism exhibited by her treatment team at UPMC—again, keeping my sister alive despite grave challenges.

That said, I don’t understand your antipathy toward Pittsburgh. The city has repeatedly won “Most Livable” awards for good reason, and if access to world-class medical care and good public transportation are two of your key criteria—and assuming that affordability also plays a factor—you could hardly do better anywhere in the country, let alone in the Mid Atlantic region. And if you’re averse to “big cities”, Pittsburgh doesn’t feel much like a big city once you’re out of sight distance of the Golden Triangle. There are countless quiet, tree-lined residential streets in Pittsburgh that could pass for Williamsport—albeit with the access to healthcare resources and public transportation that neither Williamsport nor NEPA (nor anywhere else in the state outside of Philadelphia) can even approach.

To my knowledge, all transit agencies in the state offer paratransit service—either directly or with a partner agency—provided that you reside in their service area and meet certain eligibility criteria. I’m not in the target demographic for those services, but I’ve heard the same complaints leveled almost universally: You have to arrange appointments at least 24 hours in advance, they’re inflexible with schedule or destination changes, rides are frequently late, etc. But especially in a smaller city or rural area, you’ll likely be limited to using paratransit, getting a ride from friends, or driving yourself.

If you’re considering a move back to the Williamsport area but want to have a relationship with the Geisinger network, you should be aware that that Geisinger is currently in the process of building a small hospital in Pennsdale, just north of the I-180 interchange (Halls/Pennsdale). River Valley Transit (the successor to City Bus—not sure when you left Williamsport) has a couple of routes that go out that way (to the ailing Lycoming Mall), and I suspect that the new Geisinger facility will be added to at least one of those routes. These bus routes run like once every 2-3 hours, so expect a certain amount of inconvenience.

And circling back to Danville, I think it’s also worth noting: Yes, real estate values in Danville are higher than in much of the surrounding area—and based on a quick search, costlier than Williamsport. A typical ’60s/’70s split level that might sell for $200-225K in Williamsport could fetch $250-275K in Danville. A more recent 4BR colonial might ask $400-450K in Danville vs. $350-400 in Williamsport. But all of these prices are well under what comparable homes would sell for in Silver Spring. So if you’re OK driving as long as the distances are short, living near Geisinger and driving yourself there may be the best compromise.

I hope this helps. Good luck!

[KAM12345]

Thanks to everyone who has replied. Appreciate it!

Re Pittsburgh, I lived there during grad school about a decade ago. I lived in Squirrel Hill, which was great, but I wasn't impressed with the rest of the city. Lots of crime on and around the Pitt campus, with reports of armed robberies all the time. And one of my friends was robbed at gunpoint outside her apartment in what was supposed to be a safe neighborhood. She also had her bike stolen. After a while, I just felt on edge all the time because this stuff seemed pretty relentless. Granted, the DC metro where I am now isn't great on crime either, but at least I feel like I know what neighborhoods are ok and what to avoid. That said, you've made some great points, and I may be overreacting. I will reconsider Pittsburgh.

One advantage of Williamsport for me is my parents still live there. They'd be able to help out if I need a ride to an appointment. As they get older, though, I'm aware that they'll eventually need more help than they can give.

I'm glad to hear that UPMC has been so good to your sister and your family in such a difficult time. Wishing you all the best.

[charmed hour]

Originally Posted by Wells5

UPMC has brought on a lot of specialists although most are foreign. Public transportation in Williamsport is excellent and "STEP" is a free state sponsored door to door medical transport system for seniors and others with chronic conditions. Lots of new apartments for seniors and others who qualify.


https://affordablehousingonline.com/...a/Williamsport

Foreign medical graduates receive the same education and training as American medical graduates in most countries. In fact, many medical schools outside the US are better (those with LCME accreditation).

For those grads that come here to work, if they do not meet the LCME licensing and education requirements they must fulfill those before they can be licensed. So, end of day- where someone was born or educated holds little bearing. How a medical provider applies that knowledge and education is universal to any race or ethnicity. Good docs are good docs and poor docs are poor docs.