St. Luke’s opens new orthopedic hospital
By LOU WHEELAND
Special to The Press
St. Luke’s University Health Network had a ribbon-cutting ceremony Dec. 13, 2023, for its new orthopedic hospital, 501 Cetronia Road, South Whitehall.
Designed as a same-day surgery center, orthopedic teams will perform knee, hip, spine, hand and shoulder as well as sports-related fractures surgeries.
Bill Moyer, St. Luke’s West Region president, addressed those present and praised the St. Luke’s system for its commitment to its patients.
“This hospital will provide the ideal orthopedic patient experience in terms of quality, comfort and convenience,” said St. Luke’s Chairman of Orthopedics Douglas Lundy, MD.
According to information provided by SLUHN, the orthopedic hospital’s first floor houses eight operating rooms and 24 rooms for pre- and post-surgery care of patients, along with support, auxiliary space and comfortable family waiting rooms.
The VELYS robot-assisted orthopedic surgery system and other advanced technology will be used to maximize safety, accuracy and quality operative outcomes.
The second floor will contain patient overnight rooms, staff and supplies space and shelled-in rooms for future use.
“We want our patients to realize this facility was built completely around their needs,” Dr. Lundy said.
The cost of the hospital is $44 million.
Jessica Kamensky, MBA, service line administrator for the Network’s Musculoskeletal Service Line, also commented.
“This hospital is the logical next step in the continuing evolution in our orthopedics program, and it will take patient care to the next level of quality and efficiency,” Kamensky said.
Some 80 nurses, technicians, therapists and other staff have been hired to work at the new hospital, where an estimated quarter of all network-provided orthopedic operations will be performed, the news release stated.
The St. Luke’s Orthopedic Hospital was designed with both the present and future needs of patients in mind, Dr. Lundy said. “We have built the hospital in a way that will enable it to provide the very latest and best in orthopedic technology and care for years to come.”