The final phase of a near-$12 million expansion project at Lehigh Valley Hospital - Carbon is complete.

Hospital officials held a media tour and ribbon cutting Friday afternoon for the new Intensive Care Unit and an expanded Medical-Surgical Unit on the hospital’s second floor.

Chrissy Schirer, director of patient care services, LVH-Carbon, led the tour and said the project is aimed to enhance inpatient and outpatient services.

Schirer said the seven-bed Intensive Care Unit and four additional medical-surgical beds at the hospital in Mahoning Township will begin accepting patients on Monday.

“All of our rooms can be used interchangeably with what our patients need,” Schirer said.

Christine Biege, RN, president of LVH-Carbon, praised staff members whom she said “go above and beyond every day.”

Biege added that it’s a great benefit for the community to have these services provided “close to home.”

“This is a direct response to community need,” Biege said. “This is a great accomplishment.”

The expansion gives the hospital a total of 32 inpatient beds; 25 for med-surge, and seven for critical care.

The project is aimed to create improved access and more patient services, close to home.

Construction on the plan began in December with completion in phases.

Phase One, Outpatient Laboratory and Pulmonary Function Testing, was finished in March/April.

From there, Phase Two, Breast Health Services and Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, was done in May.

Phase Three, Intensive Care Unit, and additional medical-surgical beds, were completed this month.

Other recent additions and expansions at LVH Carbon’s Health Center, include Outpatient Laboratory Services, Cardiac Rehabilitation Center, DEXA scan machine to diagnose osteoporosis, and Pulmonary Function Testing to determine how well the lungs exchange air.

Additionally, Breast Health Services have been relocated to the hospital campus, and technology enhancements have been implemented.

In addition to the latest 3D mammography unit, the Breast Health Services location now offers automated breast ultrasound, which is the only breast cancer screening technology FDA-approved for use in women (individuals born biologically female) with dense breast tissue.

The $78 million, 100,578-square-foot hospital opened at 2128 Blakeslee Blvd. Dr. E in June 2022.