Everest ER

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Everest ER is a seasonal tent-based medical clinic at Everest Base Camp. It sits at about 17,600 feet (5,400 meters) and was started in 2003 by Dr. Luanne Freer, a volunteer doctor with the Himalayan Rescue Association in Nepal and the Associate Medical Director of Medcor, Inc. Volunteer doctors provide altitude-aware medical care and teach health tips to climbers, guides, support staff, and trekkers in base camp. The money from this care helps fund free or low-cost health care for the Sherpa people of the Khumbu region.

The clinic is run by volunteer physicians from around the world. Its goal is to stabilize patients for evacuation and descent when needed, or to treat illnesses or injuries on the spot. About 90% of patients are climbers or their support teams, 10% are trekkers-through or media, and just over half of patients are native Nepali.

Everest ER has faced financial challenges. It has received donated supplies and equipment, including new tents and solar panels to run the gear with clean energy. Himalayan Rescue Association - USA (HRA-USA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was created in 2005 to help fund the clinic. Medcor, Inc. acts as a corporate sponsor and manages the website; it also produced documentaries about the clinic in 2004, 2006, and 2007 to raise sponsor interest. The Everest ER has been well received and relied upon by many teams, and in its first nine seasons it logged over 2,500 patient visits.