Lehigh Valley Health Network, part of Jefferson Health, officially opened its newest neighborhood hospital, Lehigh Valley Hospital—Pocono Creek, Wednesday morning in Bartonsville.

The new accredited and licensed acute-care hospital is located at 1328 Golden Slipper Road between Route 611 and Interstate 80. The hospital is part of a medical campus that includes LVHN’s new Health Center at Pocono Creek.

At the grand opening, Dr. Baligh Yehia, MD, president of Jefferson Health, said the name Pocono Creek is a nod to the trout stream that runs nearby to the hospital.

“Establishing neighborhood hospitals is part of our mission to give people in our communities that we serve more access closer to home,” Yehia said.

The new hospital is a 22,000 square-foot facility offering full-service, emergency room care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It includes 11 bays and 10 inpatient beds for patients who may need additional testing or monitoring.

“Our neighborhood hospitals might be smaller than other hospitals, but they are a very important investment in each of our communities and impact the lives of those that surround them,” he said.

Yehia told the story of a 13-year-old boy with asthma who had developed a fever and cough and was having trouble breathing. His father took him to the neighborhood hospital LVH-Gilbertsville, where they discovered his oxygen level was low, his breathing level was down to six or seven breaths a minute and was put on oxygen.

The doctors worked closely with physicians at LV Reilly Children’s Hospital in Allentown, and once he was stabilized, he was flown to the Allentown hospital and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, Yehia said. The boy responded quickly to treatment and was discharged in two days.

“That gives you just an example of the type of collaboration that happens in places like this where you’re able to get care quickly, our team is able to diagnose, stabilize and treat, and if necessary if you have to go somewhere else, we’re able to coordinate that care in a seamless way,” Yehia said.

In an interview at the event, Monroe County Commissioner David Parker said, “I think it’s great that we have care close to the people.”

Parker said this location will make getting care quicker for the people who live in the area so they don’t have to drive into East Stroudsburg. Similarly, its proximity to the ski resort means that emergency care is available quicker to those people if needed.

In addition to emergency care, the new hospital also includes a comprehensive radiology suite and laboratory for fast diagnostic assessments.

Holly Badali, president of Neighborhood Hospitals, LVHN, said LVH-Pocono Creek is the third neighborhood hospital of four. LVH-Macungie opened in March 2024 and LVH-Gilbertsville in Montgomery County opened later that same year. One in Hellertown is currently underway. It is expected to open in early 2027.

“Medical emergencies come without warning. For those living and working in the communities and neighborhoods near here, LVH-Pocono Creek is now open and here to serve you and this community,” Badali said.

In addition to the hospital, the Health Center at Pocono Creek features an HNL Lab Medicine office, Lehigh Valley Physician Group cardiology and LVPG family medicine, cardiac and vascular testing and adult physical therapy, as well as outpatient imaging services such as MRIs, CAT scans and x-rays.

“We never except the status quo and are always looking for better ways to serve you. The proof is all around you in the state-of-the art buildings you see and in the dedication of every LVH clinician and staffer that you’ll meet,” Badali said.