Spacious rooms, bright natural light, comfortable furniture and calming images of nature adorn the newest unit at St. Luke's Hospital - Miners Campus.

The new 28-bed, all-private universal care suite opened Monday and will provide future patients with access to what the hospital says is the best care and newest technology - all in a peaceful, private and homelike setting."We are thrilled to open the region's only all-private unit and be able to offer our community members the very best quality of care in the very best environment for healing," said Bill Moyer, president of St. Luke's Hospital-Miners Campus. "Research has shown that private rooms contribute to a greater sense of well-being and improved patient outcomes - meaning patients heal better, sooner."In addition to benefits like privacy and space, rooms allow a patient's family and loved ones to be more directly involved in the health care process."Similar to a newborn staying with a new mom, we know that patients who have their family members or caregivers with them throughout a hospital stay do better than those who do not. Often, these individuals play a critical role in the care plan and education process, as they oversee the follow-up care once a patient leaves the hospital," stated Kim Sargent, vice president of Patient Care Services for St. Luke's Miners Campus.Another component of the Universal Care Suite model is the ability for patients to stay in their rooms for appropriate procedures and treatments, like blood work, diagnostic tests and services such as dialysis. "Not having to transfer patients for these types of services allows for a more seamless, less intrusive hospital stay," said Sargent.Technological upgrades for the new unit include electronic message boards, which display real-time data that is helpful to patients and families, such as photos of their patient care team, medication information and important reminders. A new, state-of-the-art call bell system will also provide the health care team with a more efficient way to respond to patient's needs.Representing a $7.2 million investment into the community, partial funding for the renovations were made possible through a Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant from the state of Pennsylvania. Legislators at the state and local level advocated for the grant, which helps fund community projects that create jobs and provide a service or benefit for local residents."This project is a great example of public and private organizations working together to improve services in our region," Moyer said."We couldn't have done it without the support of our legislative leaders and community members, many of whom were directly involved its success."St. Luke's Hospital - Miners Campus is a member of St. Luke's University Health Network. Serving its community for more than 100 years, Miners Campus is an accredited Level IV Trauma Center and deliverscare to more than 25,000 people annually.