Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) and Westfield Hospital have announced an agreement that will allow LVHN to acquire the assets of Westfield.

LVHN plans to transform Westfield into the Center for Orthopedic Medicine. LVHN will operate and staff the new orthopedic center at Westfield's site, 4815-4825 W. Tilghman St., South Whitehall Township.

Ronald Swinfard, LVHN president and CEO, said the care at the center will run the gamut of orthopedic care with the focus on total joint replacement and spine surgery.

Swinfard and Yasin Khan, CEO of Westfield Hospital, said LVHN would take ownership of the services in December. Plans are to open the Center for Orthopedic Medicine in early 2014.

"The availability of Westfield Hospital provides LVHN with a unique opportunity to expand and enhance our already strong orthopedics program for the thousands of people who need those services," Swinfard said in the Oct. 3 announcement.

Swnfard said LVHN will continue operating the Center for Orthopedic Medicine at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest, Lehigh Valley Hospital-Muhlenberg, Lehigh Valley Hospital-17th St. and Fairgrounds Surgical Center.

Westfield Hospital employs about 100. The staff has been notified of the transformation and will be given an opportunity to seek employment at the new Center for Orthopedic Medicine or at other LVHN campuses. The new facility is expected to employ about 100

Wesfield Hospital operates 25 licensed beds, three operating rooms and an emergency department. Westfield Surgery Center for ambulatory surgery, also on the campus, includes three operating rooms and two procedure rooms.

The surgery center would be run by LVHN. Plans are to convert the emergency department into an urgent-care facility.