Lehigh Valley Health Network temporarily closes several sites and operating rooms – WFMZ Allentown

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. – Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN) released a statement implementing three actions that will protect the community and their caregivers. However, doing so will interrupt a number of planned surgeries and tests.

1st Action – LVHN explains that in order to preserve medical supplies and protective equipment, they are temporarily closing select operating rooms across the health network.

They assure the public that this precaution is consistent with decisions being made across the country and will allow them to maintain vital surgical services during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Sites temporarily closing include: 

• Fairgrounds Surgical Center
• Lehigh Valley Hospital-17th Street, operating room
• Lehigh Valley Health Network -Tilghman, operating room
• J.B. and Kathleen Reilly Children’s Surgery Center
• Coordinated Health, all operating rooms

All scheduled procedures at these sites will be reviewed. Critical procedures will be relocated to other locations within the health network. LVHN will begin contacting patients immediately to discuss plans for their scheduled procedure. 

2nd Action – The health network is implementing a process to postpone some previously scheduled tests and procedures. 

The health network says that their team will begin contacting patients on Monday, March 23 for scheduled tests and appointments that need to be delayed due to the impact of the virus.

According to the statement, these non-urgent tests and procedures are not being cancelled – they are being postponed for the health of the community and colleagues. 

3rd Action – To help ensure adequate staffing at LVHN COVID-19 Assess and Test locations, LVHN is temporarily suspending services at three ExpressCARE locations. 

LVHN ExpressCARE locations temporarily suspending services effective March 23 are: 

• LVHN ExpressCARE – Bethlehem Township
  • If you are seeking non-COVID-19 care, please go to ExpressCARE – Palmer Township or another location. 
• LVHN ExpressCARE – Bangor
  • If you are seeking non-COVID-19 care, please go to ExpressCARE – Palmer Township or another location. 
• LVHN ExpressCARE – Blakeslee
  • If you are seeking non-COVID-19 care, please go to ExpressCARE – Tobyhanna or another location. 

The following LVHN ExpressCARE locations that also serve as COVID-19 Assess and Test locations will redirect people seeking services to other ExpressCARE sites starting March 23:

• LVHN ExpressCARE – Macungie – COVID-19 assess and test only.
  • If you are seeking non-COVID-19 care, please go to ExpressCARE – Fogelsville or another location.
• LVHN ExpressCARE – MacArthur Road – COVID-19 asses and test only.
  • If you are seeking non-COVID-19 care, please go to ExpressCARE – Muhlenberg or another location. 
• LVHN ExpressCARE – Palmerton – COVID-19 assess and test only. 
  • If you are seeking non-COVID-19 care, please go to ExpressCARE – West End or another location. 
• LVHN ExpressCARE – Bartonsville – COVID-19 assess and test only.
• If you are seeking non-COVID-19 care, please go to ExpressCARE – Pocono or another location. 

LVHN ExpressCARE – Richland Township will offer both COVID-19 assess and test and ExpressCARE services. 

LVHN says that they will continue to provide the community with updates as this health situation evolves and appreciates the support of the community as we face the pandemic together. 

Refer to LVHN.org/covid19 for additional information, including FAQs for people with COVID-19, links to LVHN COVID-19 Assess and Test locations and more.