GILBERTSVILLE, Pa — Lehigh Valley Health Network is expanding its reach into Montgomery County.
The ribbon was cut on its new Gilbertsville Neighborhood Hospital on Friday.
“There is a distance between hospitals here, and this is a great location to put a hospital to increase access to care,” said Holly Badali, the president of LVHN Neighborhood Hospitals.
Construction is complete on Lehigh Valley Hospital — Gilbertsville and it’s expected to open to patients in a matter of weeks.
“Particularly this community, I think that this is a huge opportunity for increased access to care,” added Badali.
The new site is off Route 100 and Grosser Road in Douglas Township.
“This is actually going to fill a great niche in this area, in the suburban area of Montgomery County, western Montgomery County, so I think they're going to be extremely successful out here,” said Thomas DiBello, Montgomery County Commissioner.
The medical site has a full-service emergency room with 11 beds, a 10-bed inpatient medical unit, and ambulatory diagnostic services.
"This is a 24/7 emergency room capable hospital that is within five to seven minutes of virtually everywhere in our community area. It cuts down the commute for any kind of major medical issue.”Joshua Stouch
“This is a 24/7 emergency room capable hospital that is within five to seven minutes of virtually everywhere in our community area. It cuts down the commute for any kind of major medical issue,” said Joshua Stouch, the chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Douglas Township.
He says the location makes emergency care available to residents in a matter of minutes instead of traveling nearly a half hour to the nearest hospital. Stouch said it also makes the commute shorter for EMS workers, so they can be back on the road in less time.
“It's critical for the community, for the health and safety and well being, it assists our ambulance crews and our fire and police crews, as well as getting them back on the street after they're done dealing with an emergency, because they're literally bringing people or helping people right in our backyard, and they're able to get them here into the right hands and get back out on the street,” he said. .
This is LVHN’s first hospital in Montgomery County and second “neighborhood” hospital to open following the opening of one in Macungie.
