Lehigh Valley Hospital

Main entrance to Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. The Lehigh Valley Health Network is the largest employer in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania.

Lehigh Valley Hospital, based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, is the largest hospital in the Lehigh Valley and the flagship hospital of Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN). LVHN includes four full-service hospitals: Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest in Salisbury Township, (with additional clinical campuses at LVH-17th Street in Allentown and LVHN-Tilghman in west Allentown); LVH-Muhlenberg in Bethlehem, LVH-Hazleton in the Greater Hazleton area, and LVH-Pocono in East Stroudsburg (with additional clinical campuses throughout Monroe County). LVHN also includes Children’s Hospital at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Community Health Centers, primary care and specialty physicians, pharmacy, imaging, home health, hospice, and laboratory services.

Lehigh Valley Health Network

Tracing its roots back to Allentown Hospital, founded in 1899, LVHN currently consists of seven hospital campuses, physicians practices and groups, clinics, testing and imaging centers, health centers and urgent care locations. The hospital campuses are

• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest
  • Combined Adult Level I / Pediatric Level II trauma center
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–17th Street
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hazleton
  • Level IV trauma center
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Pocono
  • Level III trauma center
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill E. Norwegian Street
• Lehigh Valley Hospital–Schuylkill S. Jackson Street

Statistics

LVHN has 981 licensed-acute beds on its three campuses.^[1][2] In 2007, there were 50,070 admissions, 14,319 inpatient surgeries, 453,477 outpatient visits, 14,841 outpatient surgeries, 119,017 ER visits, and 3,184 births in network hospitals.^[1][2] LVHHN operates the third largest heart surgery program in Pennsylvania with more than 1,200 open-heart procedures performed each year.^[3] Pennsylvania’s first Level I Trauma Center was at Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest and this trauma center remains the only Level I trauma center in the Lehigh Valley with additional qualifications in pediatric trauma.^[3] The LVHHN Cancer Center is the fourth largest in Pennsylvania and cares for more than 2,400 new patients each year.^[3]

Financials

In fiscal year 2014, LVHN's operating income increased by $9 million to $42 million. Acute admissions were up more than 2 percent to 55,000. Also up were emergency room visits, which increased 7 percent to 190,000. In 2014, the not-for-profit LVHN increased its community benefit - a combination of free care, reduced-cost care, education and other efforts that make up the foundation of the network's not-for-profit status - by 8 percent to $354 million. That supported more than 11,000 free flu shots distributed at Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom in South Whitehall Township and Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, and a dental van that provides free care to more than 1,000 children yearly. The benefit also helps to cover the growing differential between health care costs and how much Medicaid and Medicare are willing to reimburse.^[4]

Quality of care

Lehigh Valley Hospital has achieved national recognition continuously since 1995^[5] as one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals.^[6] Lehigh Valley Hospital has been ranked by U.S. News & World Report eight times for cardiac care and cardiac surgery. The hospital has received a total of 28 specialty category listings in the past five years, including heart care and heart surgery, hormonal disorders including diabetes, digestive disorders, orthopedics, urology, and ear, nose and throat care.^[5]

LVHN hospitals are the only Lehigh Valley hospitals participating in the Leapfrog Group’s^[7] evaluation of health care safety, quality and customer value. Lehigh Valley Hospital is one of 39 hospitals nationwide to receive the 2007 Leapfrog Group Top Hospital award.^[7] All LVHN hospitals meet Leapfrog standards for patient safety.^[8] All LVHN campuses are accredited by the Joint Commission.^[9][10][11]

On February 23, 2011, Becker's Hospital Review listed Lehigh Valley Hospital under the 50 Best Hospitals in America.^[12]

It is also a three time certified National Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence from the American Nurses Credentialing Center.

The Joint Commission designated Lehigh Valley Cedar Crest campus as a Comprehensive Stroke Center in 2014.^[13]

Merger with Pocono Health System

In May 2015, the parent companies of Pocono Health System and Lehigh Valley Health Network announced they have agreed to merge. The planned merger was approved by both corporations' boards of directors in separate meetings. The merger is expected to be finalized early in 2016 following "due diligent" discussions of respective service delivery and financial issues, negotiation of final merger documents and government regulatory approvals.^[14]

On January 1, 2017, a full asset merger of Pocono Health System and flagship hospital, Pocono Medical Center by Lehigh Valley Health Network was complete. Pocono Health System is now LVHN-Pocono and Pocono Medical Center now Lehigh Valley Hospital-Pocono.

Notes

External links

Media related to Lehigh Valley Hospital at Wikimedia Commons

• Lehigh Valley Health Network

Coordinates: 40°33′59″N 75°31′27″W / 40.56633°N 75.52403°W / 40.56633; -75.52403