St. Luke’s Health Network

Children’s Hospital launched

A coordinated effort to reorganize pediatric care under the concept of a children’s hospital has resulted in the announcement of the opening of St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, based at the Network’s Bethlehem Campus in Fountain Hill.

St. Luke’s became a member of the Children’s Hospital Association in 2022. In May 2022, St. Luke’s Pediatric Specialty Center, the region’s first and only free-standing facility dedicated entirely to children, opened, allowing families to coordinate multiple specialty appointments in the same day at one convenient location. Shortly thereafter, St. Luke’s 17-bed pediatric inpatient unit was renovated and relocated to include 24/7 hospitalist coverage, support from pediatric trained respiratory therapists and specialty trained pediatric nurses, pharmacists and pediatric surgeons.

In 2020, St. Luke’s Bethlehem Campus added a $5 million, 8-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, which provides advanced care to critically ill children.

St. Luke’s continues to invest in its pediatric programs through the addition of experienced providers. The current team of 35-plus pediatric specialists includes the region’s only pediatric nephrologist and only developmental pediatricians, as well as the largest team of fellowship-trained pediatric orthopedic surgeons in the area. The most recent additions to the specialty team include a network medical director of pediatric emergency medicine and a child life specialist.

St. Luke’s also offers the region’s only pediatric dialysis center and the first and only pediatric specialty labs, designed to make children more comfortable and parents less stressed.

Pediatric specialty labs open

St. Luke’s University Health Network continues to fulfill its promise of bringing quality pediatric care close to home, opening six Pediatric Specialty Labs.

SLUHN is the first in the region to provide this service. The Pediatric Specialty Labs opened inside existing draw sites at the beginning of February.

The Pediatric Specialty Labs have been designed to make children and their parents feel more comfortable and less stressed when needing blood work. Not only is the draw space more comforting, but also the phlebotomists have been specially trained in creating a calming experience for young patients and preparing parents to support their child’s lab needs.

The Pediatric Specialty Labs are located in:

• St. Luke’s West End Medical Center - 501 Cetronia Road, Allentown

• St. Luke’s Monroe Campus - 100 St. Luke’s Lane, Stroudsburg

• St. Luke’s Health Center-Palmerton - 614 Delaware Ave., Palmerton

• St. Luke’s North Medical Center - 153 Brodhead Road, Bethlehem

• St. Luke’s Center Valley Health Center - 5445 Lanark Road., Center Valley

• St. Luke’s Anderson Campus Specialty Pavilion - 2200 St. Luke’s Boulevard, Easton

Parents are encouraged to skip the wait and reserve on-line an appointment time where available. Appointments can be made online for the Stroudsburg, Palmerton and Easton sites. Walk-ins are welcome at all sites.

Manufactures’ safety award presented

The Northeast Pennsylvania Manufacturers and Employers Association recently named St. Luke’s Occupational Medicine as the recipient of the organization’s Excellence Award for Environmental Health and Safety, highlighting the program’s Worksite Injury Prevention Program. The department also received awards and recognition from federal and state legislators, the Pennsylvania Manufacturers Association, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the Schuylkill County Commissioners.

The St. Luke’s Occupational Medicine program was selected for this award for its “comprehensive approach to worker well-being by protecting safety and enhancing health and productivity for the benefit of workers, employers, and the work environment,” according to Darlene J. Robbins, president of the private, nonprofit organization that serves 345 member companies spread over 24 counties. This comprehensive program, she added, empowers employees to take control of their health at work and at home.