Lehigh Valley Health Network will close its cancer treatment center campus in Lehighton, while St. Luke’s University Health Network plans to open one on its campus in town in the fall.

Brian Downs, a spokesman for LVHN, explained why Lehigh Valley Health Network will no longer provide its infusion center on First Street.

“The health care environment is ever-changing during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Downs said. “As a result, LVHN is being flexible and adjusting services and staffing models based on patient demand, and will continue to do so to meet our community’s health care needs.”

However, that doesn’t mean infusion patients won’t still be cared for, Downs said.

“All Lehighton infusion patients who are affected will still be cared for by their Lehighton care team,” he said. “Also, the team determined where the patients live and all patients were contacted and given the closest infusion location to their home-Health Center at Bangor, LVH-Cedar Crest, LVH-Hazelton, LVH-Muhlenberg, LVH-Pocono and or LVH-Schuylkill.”

While LVHN plans to shutter its cancer treatment center campus, St. Luke’s plans to offer those same services at its campus in town.

John Nespoli, president of St. Luke’s Carbon Campus, said a five-chair infusion center is expected to open in the St. Luke’s Lehighton Hospital on 12th Street in the fall.

“We’re thrilled,” Nespoli said. “We’re renovating some space on the second floor of the hospital.”

Nespoli said the infusion center will have five chairs for local chemotherapy treatment, and also do other infusions, though it will primarily be for chemotherapy.

He said the center will include Dr. Tamam Habib, a medical oncologist and hematologist, along with nutritionists, dietitians, and oncology nurses to ensure a total system of care.

The St. Luke’s Miners Campus at 360 West Ruddle St. in Coaldale is already offering appointments.

“We know that our patients appreciate being able to access care close to home,” said Joe Pinto, chief operating officer for St. Luke’s western region. “It’s important to us to offer excellent quality care without the extra stress of having to drive long distances for that care.”

Nespoli said renovations in Lehighton are expected to take about two months, and added the hope is for the infusion center to be ready by early September.

“Our philosophy is to make sure it will be rare that people of Carbon County will have to leave to get care,” he said. “This is just another step in that direction in the cancer area; we do believe that when you have to travel 45 minutes for care, sometimes you can’t meet your appointment, so care gets affected.”

Nespoli added there will be special parking right out in front of the hospital so that it’s extremely accessible for patients, and noted St. Luke’s has its own STAR Transport service.

“If you’re local, you get to know the nurses well and the doctors well; it’s a more intimate setting,” he said. “It will feel more like a home then a hospital.”

Nespoli said the infusion center is just another example of St. Luke’s commitment to providing care close to home, and cited the St. Luke’s Franklin campus which is about 20 months from opening.

“We’re well on our way to have all care local,” he said.