Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) has announced that the second phase of construction is set to begin on the new Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH) - Hecktown Oaks, Lower Nazareth Township, Northampton.

An additional 95,000 square feet will be added to the facility. This portion is to open in fall 2021.

Since its groundbreaking in December 2019, work has steadily continued on LVH - Hecktown Oaks, which is to open in summer 2021.

The second phase will include a four-story bed tower with 30 additional patient beds, which will connect to the hospital to the north of the construction, as well as a helipad.

The helipad will be for transferring patients with more emergent needs. An LVHN MedEvac helicopter will not be based at the site. Three of the floors in the tower will be available for growth.

According to Bob Begliomini, President, LVH - Muhlenberg and LVH - Hecktown Oaks, there were several reasons an expansion of LVH - Hecktown Oaks made sense.

“Initiating a second phase of construction while we already have crews at the site provides significant savings and is overall more efficient.

“Having the additional hospital space also provides capacity to meet health care needs of Northampton County residents,” Begliomini said.

The expansion of LVH - Hecktown Oaks also provides access to area residents so that they have a greater choice on where they can receive care in their community.

In fiscal year 2019, more than 1,700 LVHN patients would have been able to receive care closer to home at LVH - Hecktown Oaks compared to other LVHN hospital campuses.

The campus at LVH - Hecktown Oaks is being built with state-of-the-art infection control and patient safety protocols in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Some of the safety measures include HEPA filters and UV lights in the rooftop HVAC system to control and eliminate bacteria, bacteria-resistant flooring, hand-sanitizing stations and Plexiglas dividers at the registration area.

“We’re taking extraordinary care at LVH - Hecktown Oaks to install the most advanced infection control technology as a commitment to patient safety,” said Begliomini.

The campus in Lower Nazareth Township is along Hecktown Road, just off Route 33.

The expansion will include a 201,000-square-foot hospital, 35,000-square-foot Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute, 61,000-square-foot medical office building and an emergency room caring for adults and children, including an area dedicated for children.

According to LVHN officials, numerous physicians have expressed interest in providing care at LVH - Hecktown Oaks and the expansion will allow them more opportunity to do so.

“Our physicians want the best for their patients and that means providing them with convenient and accessible care,” said Pat Toselli, MD, Chief Medical Officer at LVH - Hecktown Oaks.

Information: www.LVHN.org/HecktownOaks