Lehigh Valley Health Network conducted a topping off ceremony last week for its new health campus just off Route 33 along Hecktown Road in Lower Nazareth Township. The last steel beam was placed for what will be called Lehigh Valley Hospital–Hecktown Oaks, which will include a 106,000-square-foot, two-story hospital; 35,000-square-foot Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute and 61,000-square-foot medical office building, each designed for patient comfort and convenience.

The campus will serve people of all ages and offer advanced surgical, emergency, and orthopedic care, cancer services, advanced imaging, diagnostic testing and more. The grand opening is slated for summer 2021.

Bob Begliomini, senior vice president of operations and president of Lehigh Valley Hospital–Muhlenberg, told LVHN’s first “virtual” steel beam topping-off ceremony the construction of the campus is a direct response to demand for LVHN care in Northampton County.

“As we reach the topping-off milestone, we are well on our way to bringing exceptional Lehigh Valley Health Network services to Northampton County - services requested and sought out by residents of the county.”

Begliomini says before it was hoisted carrying the traditional American flag and small evergreen tree for good luck, the beam was signed “virtually” as LVHN colleagues provided digital signatures that were included on a large durable vinyl sticker affixed to the beam.

Begliomini says nearly one-third of Northampton County residents already receive health care services from an LVHN provider. Over the last seven years, the number of visits from Northampton County residents to Lehigh Valley Physician Group providers increased 91 percent. In fiscal year 2018, LVPG had more than 430,000 visits from Northampton County residents. The new health campus extends the services LVHN and Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital already provide in the county.

LVH–Hecktown Oaks’ two-story hospital will look and feel different from a typical high-rise institution and will offer easier navigation. A healing garden will provide patients and visitors a peaceful place to connect with nature and pause and reflect. The goal is to create a calming, comforting environment that will help people feel at ease and heal better. The campus will contain leading-edge equipment needed for today’s innovative treatments and telemedicine technology to make care more convenient. With these features, patients and their families can expect extraordinary care and a top-notch health care experience.

The hospital will include an emergency room that cares for adults and children, with an area dedicated just to children. All private patient rooms will have natural light and feature views of the innovative healing garden. State-of-the-art operating suites and services provided by Lehigh Valley Institute for Surgical Excellence, along with advanced imaging services, also will be located at the new hospital.

The medical office building will provide primary and specialty care, including a joint and spine center, comprehensive care from Lehigh Valley Heart Institute, complete rehabilitation services, and care provided by Breast Health Services.

Lehigh Valley Cancer Institute will offer convenient cancer care, including infusion services and access to innovative clinical trials through its membership in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Alliance, as well as patient-focused multidisciplinary clinic care that provides oncology patients with personalized recommendations for treatment.