HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Health is making it more convenient for residents of Lancaster and York counties and the surrounding region to access its high-quality health care with the opening of its newest hospital. Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center welcomed its first patients today.
Located near the intersection of State Road and Harrisburg Pike in East Hempfield Township, Lancaster Medical Center will give residents in this growing community expanded access to Penn State Health’s primary, specialty and acute care, as well as the advanced care and clinical trials available at the health system’s academic hub in Hershey, including the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.
“We are thrilled to welcome the community to this brand new, state-of-the-art facility,” said Claire Mooney, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Lancaster Medical Center. “Our carefully selected leadership team understands the health needs of the Lancaster region and, more importantly, understands and relates to the people who live here. We are excited to provide the high-quality, compassionate care residents want and deserve.”
The opening of Lancaster County’s newest hospital marks another step in the Penn State Health and Highmark long-term goal of ensuring that everyone in the communities the health system serves is within 10 minutes of a Penn State Health primary care provider, 20 minutes of its specialty care services and 30 minutes of a Penn State Health acute care hospital.
“When we partnered with Highmark, we made a promise to make it easier for the communities we serve to access Penn State Health’s expertise,” said Steve Massini, CEO of Penn State Health. “The opening of Lancaster Medical Center is another significant step in delivering on that promise.”
Lancaster Medical Center opened today with more than 500 employees. The 341,000-square-foot, six-story medical center includes 132 private inpatient beds, an emergency department, various specialty inpatient services, including a cardiac catheterization lab, labor and delivery and complete medical and surgical capabilities. It also has an attached medical office building for physician practices and outpatient services. It is easily accessible from State Routes 283 and 772 and offers ample free parking in a suburban location.
Work on Lancaster Medical Center began in May 2020 and brought hundreds of well-paying jobs to the area. Penn State Health partnered with Oak Tree Development Group, Barton Malow Alexander and HKS Architects and sourced many key services and materials from Lancaster County businesses. Teams of local contractors worked safely throughout the pandemic to keep construction of the hospital on schedule.
“The most important feature of Lancaster Medical Center is our caregivers,” said Joseph Frank, regional president, Penn State Health. “We’ve built a strong team of highly experienced providers who are using their decades of knowledge to deliver an extraordinary care experience.”