Lehigh Valley Hospital–Gilbertsville Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

by Jane Stahl

Blue sky, puffs of clouds, bright sunshine, and refreshing breezes added to the celebratory atmosphere during the ribbon cutting of Lehigh Valley Health Network's (LVHN) first neighborhood hospital in the tri-county region in Gilbertsville.

State, county, and local dignitaries, members of local ambulance companies were welcomed along with LVHN officials. 

PA State Senator Tracy Pennycuick and David Kraybill, president of the Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation shared their enthusiasm.

Building a Better Boyertown's (BaBB) Board members attended to welcome the prestigious facility to the community. 

From left: Allen Steffy, treasurer; Kim Evans, assistant Main Street Manager; Krista Gross, Events Manager; Frank Buttaro, Jr., Boyertown Area Multi-Service Director of Development; Ellen Martignetti, Main Street Manager; Theresa Heist, Board Member; and Jeff Cascino, president of BaBB. 

David Burmeister, physician and Chair of Emergency and Hospital Medicine, allowed that he and his team had held an early morning meeting, eager to begin their service to the community, adding, "It's been  labor of love, getting ready to begin our work."

Echoing Master of Ceremonies Michael Rossi, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for LVHN, Bermeister offered,"And don't be fooled by the size. This is a world-class health system bringing compassionate care and integrity closer to home--more efficient, more convenient than ever. Eighty percent of the community's needs will be served in this neighborhood hospital." Proud of the dedication to education and research, both noted the drive to find more effective ways to serve: "Health care doesn’t stand still and neither do we."

David Freedman, administrator and financial analyst, shared his support for Burmeister, saying "I've known him for over 29 years and there's no better, smarter physician anywhere."

Left to right: David Burmeister and David Freedman

Each speaker spoke of the health care's dedication to compassionate care and integrity and the mission to treat each patient with the same care as one of their own family. 

LVHN boasts that it stands to be in the top 15 not-for-profit health systems in the United States, that it celebrates its 125th anniversary with 23,000 colleagues strong and growing, and it stands to offer greater access, choice, stability, innovation, opportunity, and increased equity for the entire community. Its merger with Jefferson will add yet another level of care and prestige to the health system. 

Following the ribbon cutting, the audience was encouraged to enjoy refreshments provided by Bause Catering and take a tour of the facility.

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I was delighted to see a variety of artwork enhancing the aesthetics of the facility.  

Above: a patient room
Below: ER/Trauma area and room

Imaging Services wing

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by Jamie Stover, Sr. Media Relations Specialist, Marketing and Public Affairs, LVHN

Neighborhood hospital will feature 24/7 emergency room

Lehigh Valley, Pa. (June 7, 2024) - Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) officials today cut the ribbon on LVHN’s first neighborhood hospital in the tri-county region – Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Gilbertsville.

photo by Jane Stahl

The new hospital will begin serving patients soon, following the green light from state Department of Health officials after final inspections.

LVH–Gilbertsville will provide more accessible health care in the region, complete with an around-the-clock emergency room.

The opening completes the first part of the new Gilbertsville medical campus. The Health Center at Gilbertsville will open later this summer. Health center services will include adult and pediatric rehabilitation, breast health services, cardiac rehabilitation, cardiac and nuclear testing, cardiology, HNL Lab Medicine, orthopedics, pediatrics, physiatry, primary care, pulmonology and rheumatology. Obstetrics and gynecology service are expected to be available early next year.

The campus is located at 1109 Grosser Road, in Gilbertsville, Douglass Township.

The new hospital and health center fill a need by creating a medical campus and health care services not currently available in the region.

Community leaders and LVHN officials, including Michael Rossi, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer for LVHN, participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony at LVH–Gilbertsville on Friday (6/7).

photo by Jane Stahl

“LVH–Gilbertsville is part of our continuing effort to bring world-class health care to you, making it more convenient than ever to get the expert help you need, when you and your families need it,” Dr. Rossi said. “Overall, LVHN is growing to meet community needs for care and convenience across the areas we serve. That means hiring more doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to be there when you need us, in places like our neighborhood hospitals and their adjacent health centers.”

LVHN is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, marking a historic milestone and looking to the future. “Health care doesn’t stand still and neither do we,” Dr. Rossi said.

Holly Badali, President, Neighborhood Hospitals, LVHN, said the health network’s standard of compassionate, leading-edge health care is unmatched in this region. “You’ll see it in everyone who helps and treats you at LVH–Gilbertsville,” she said.

photo by Jane Stahl

Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Gilbertsville is the second of several neighborhood hospitals LVHN is seeking to build in the region. It’s a stand-alone, licensed, acute care hospital, and in addition to the full-service ER with 11 beds, it features a 10-bed inpatient medical unit and ambulatory diagnostic services. The inpatient beds are for those requiring overnight hospital stays, or for additional care, observation and testing.

Someone arriving at LVH–Gilbertsville with more acute medical problems, or requiring surgery, would be stabilized and transported to a larger hospital in the region with increased care capability. Pediatric patients requiring inpatient care will routinely be transferred to Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital.

Other in-house hospital services include lab and imaging. Imaging services, including X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan and MRI, also are offered on an outpatient basis.

LVHN’s first neighborhood hospital – LVH–Macungie – opened in March. For more about the LVH–Gilbertsville campus, visit LVHN.org/Gilbertsville.

Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) includes 14 hospital campuses, four in Allentown, two in Bethlehem, one in Easton, one in Macungie, one in East Stroudsburg, one in Hazleton, two in Pottsville, one in Dickson City, and one in Lehighton, Pa.; 29 health centers; numerous primary and specialty care physician practices; 21 ExpressCARE locations, including two Children's ExpressCAREs which are the only in the area; pharmacy, imaging, home health, rehabilitation and lab services; and preferred provider services through Valley Preferred. Specialty care includes: trauma care for adults and children, burn care at the Regional Burn Center; kidney and pancreas transplants; perinatal/neonatal, cardiac, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, complex neurosurgery capabilities including national certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center, and robotic surgery in 10 specialties. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute, Lehigh Valley Heart and Vascular Institute, Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute and Lehigh Valley Fleming Neuroscience Institute physicians provide the most advanced treatments. Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute is a member of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance (MSK Cancer Alliance), an initiative that helps community providers improve the quality of cancer care and offers access to MSK clinical trials. Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital, the community’s first and most trusted children’s hospital, provides access to the most pediatric specialties in the region and general pediatrics. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH) is ranked 27th in the country for orthopedic care and among the top 10 hospitals in Pennsylvania by U.S. News & World Report. LVH is also ranked by U.S. News & World Report as the top hospital in the Allentown metro area for the 10th year in a row. Lehigh Valley Hospital (LVH)–Cedar Crest, LVH–17th Street and LVH–Muhlenberg are the region’s only Magnet® hospitals for nursing excellence. Additional information is available by visiting LVHN.org or following us on Facebook , LinkedIn and Instagram.

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