Outpatient growth moved the Lehigh Valley Health Network to rethink building a new hospital in the Hazleton, Pa., area, according to an article on the Standard Speaker website.
The system instead will modernize a present hospital — including expanding the emergency department and expand services at an ExpressCARE clinic.
“We made a little bit of a right turn,” John Fletcher, president of Lehigh Valley Hospital-Hazleton said in the article. “We were going to build a new hospital in the Hazleton community. Healthcare has changed so much, and it continues to change. We have seen a shift of patients we traditionally cared for in the hospital moving to an out-patient setting.”
One feature of the hospital modernization is creating more private rooms. The modernization will also include the establishment of a rapid assessment unit in the emergency department.
What Lies Ahead for Healthcare Facilities Managers
What's in the Future for Healthcare Restrooms?
Hammes Completes the Moffit Speros Outpatient Center
The Top Three Pathogens to Worry About in 2026
Blackbird Health Opens New Pediatric Mental Health Clinic in Virginia