St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem today announced the completion of its four-year, $17 million Emergency Room (ER) expansion and renovation project, which added over 5,000 square feet of space to the existing ER, creating new and refreshed spaces for adult and pediatric emergency care.
The completed ER at the Bethlehem Campus spans 25,329 square feet and includes 40 adult beds, 10 dedicated pediatric beds in The Isaacman Family St. Luke’s Children’s Emergency Room, and separate waiting rooms for adults and children.
“This project gives our physicians, nurses and staff specialized spaces to deliver the high-quality care our community expects,” said Wendy Lazo, President, St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem. “Our ER sees about 48,000 visits each year, and we are proud to welcome patients into spaces tailored to their needs, whether a child or an adult faces a life-threatening emergency.”
The Bethlehem Campus provides 24-hour adult trauma care as a Pennsylvania Trauma Systems Foundation-accredited Trauma Center, with the highest level of trauma care for patients with serious and life-threatening injuries. It is also a Comprehensive Stroke Center and provides specialized emergency care for older adults.
The Bethlehem Campus is also home to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital, providing round-the-clock pediatric emergency care supported by board-certified pediatric emergency medicine physicians and specialized pediatric nurses. The Children’s ER’s separate waiting area, named The Tara and Jim Knicos Foundation Waiting Room, was made possible through the generous philanthropy of the Knicos family of Bethlehem.
“The needs of children and families are different, particularly during an emergency,” said Michael Witt, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine. “Dedicated treatment and waiting areas allow us to support those needs while providing specialized pediatric emergency care.”
The completion of the Emergency Room expansion represents the latest investment in St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem. This complex, four-year construction project required extensive coordination as emergency care continued uninterrupted throughout the project.
“We are incredibly grateful to our Emergency Room team for their flexibility, patience and commitment throughout this project,” said Lazo. “For four years, they adapted to the changes around them while never losing sight of what mattered most: caring for our patients. This new environment reflects not only an investment in our facilities, but an investment in the people who provide and depend on emergency care at our Bethlehem Campus.”
