What is a neighborhood hospital? LVHN's first in the Poconos is open
Lehigh Valley Health Network’s newest "neighborhood" concept hospital has opened in the Poconos.
On Jan. 27, Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono Creek, located at 1328 Golden Slipper Road, Bartonsville, opened its doors.
This hospital in Pocono Township is LVHN’s first neighborhood hospital in the Poconos. Neighborhood hospitals have also opened in Macungie and Gilbertsville, and a fourth location in Hellertown is planned to open by early 2027.
Jefferson Health President Baligh Yehia said that neighborhood hospitals “are really focused on our communities.”
“They are strategically placed to make it easier to get in and to get out,” said Yehia, saying the goal of the facility is to stabilize and treat individuals, and to provide convenient, 24/7 emergency care access.
President of Neighborhood Hospitals Holly Badali said that LVH–Pocono Creek is about 22,000 square feet and has a full-service hospital with 11 bays, as well as 10 inpatient bays.
“Someone arriving at LVH–Pocono Creek with more acute medical problems, or requiring surgery, will be stabilized and transported to a larger LVHN hospital with increased care capability, likely LVH–Pocono,” said Badali. “Pediatric patients requiring inpatient care will routinely be transferred to Lehigh Valley Reilly Children's Hospital.”
Health Center at Pocono Creek, a neighboring medical facility on the hospital’s campus, houses a family medicine office, cardiac and vascular testing, HNL Lab Medicine, adult physical therapy and cardiology.
U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr. (R-8th District), who attended the hospital’s Jan. 28 ribbon cutting ceremony, said rural hospitals and clinics are “lifelines to our communities,” and families feel the effect of limited and uncertain access to care right away.
“In Monroe County, we see firsthand how quickly growth can help pace infrastructure,” said Bresnahan. “As one of the fastest growing areas in the commonwealth, the demand for timely emergency care, inpatient services, and modern medical facilities continues to rise. That’s why today matters.”